Farewell, Spinner's End
by HermyLuna2
Summary: Yet another version of Snape's youth. With a socially handicapped and possessive Severus, cynical and depressed Eileen, plain useless Tobias, sweet but fiery Lily, venomously jealous Petunia, insufferable yet awkward Marauders, empathic Hagrid, flamboyent Lucius & a bunch of first year Slytherins up to no good.
1. THE SHATTERED GLASS

_Originally, I wanted to make this a story about all of the Marauders, Lily and Snape. But then I read 'Harry Potter: The Prequal' and it was brilliant (go read it!) and Damahom's portrayal of them is already everything it should be. Instead, I decided to focus just on Snape instead, my favorite character. (Bad boys complex here and not ashamed) __When I read 'Always' by aterriblebeautyisborn I wanted to quit this story as well, because 'Always' is extremely beautiful and also everything a story about Snapes youth should be. But in the end I'm glad I didn't, because completing my own story is still __my dream, and everyone's interpretation is different. _

_If you have read the books you of course know I lend (or stolen, how you will call it) some parts from them and which - but purely to make this story true to the books._

_All the Beatles references in this story are not just random! Why not? That is a mystery ;) You'll have to find out for yourself!_

_Please review, even if it's criticism. Nobody is _forcing _me to write this story, but it is not very nice when your hobby is writing and people don't even bother to tell you why they think your story sucks._

* * *

><p>In the sixties, there were a lot of mill towns in the Kingdom of Great Britain. You had Manchester, with its four million inhabitants – two and a half if you only counted the Muggles – where the famous wizard Edgar Stroulger, inventor of the Sneakoscope, came from. But this story is not about Manchester, nor about Edgar Stroulger, nor about Sneakoscopes. This story does have its beginning in the northern part of England. Also in the county town of Lancashire, in an area consisting out of miles and miles of meadowlands, most of them wild and abandoned, a serene patchwork of cosy, rural British glory.<p>

Cokeworth was divided in two parts. The new part had a supermarket, post office, bakery, butchery, grocery store, clothing shops, a square with benches around a statue made by a modern abstract sculpter and an extraordinary park that had a very big field of grass with an arbour surrounded by huge imposing century-old trees that formed a romantic contrast with all the super-tidy gardens of the squares of new, impeccable and identical houses.  
>The old part had an old textile mill and the polluted part of the river, behind which a wall of dark trees loomed, seperating the city from a varied wildlife.<p>

Spinner's End was a street that, in the begin of the eighteenth century, used to be inhabited by spinsters. After the Industrial Revolution it belonged to the workers of the town's mill. England of the sixties was still a class society and you were not able to find a place more representative of the working class' living conditions than Spinner's End. It was part of a narrow labyrinth of brick houses that were always folded in shadow because the chimney of the mill towered over it.

The inside of Spinner's End nummer nineteen was almost even darker and gloomier than the outside. The walls were covered in dark-gray wallpaper and dark brown stones. Lost of old wooden cabinets and cupboards were stuffed in the tiny space, making it seem even smaller. The sofa was patchy and old as well as the armchair and the table was rickety. There was a small, abandoned fireplace that had not been used in years.

* * *

><p>One of the workers from the textile mill called Tobias Snape, a man mostly known for his extraordinarily crooked nose, was in a foul mood. He was taller than his wife and stockily build, wearing a threadbare dress shirt and brown pants held up by suspenders. His greasy chestnutbrown hair stuck limply to his face from under his checked bean hat. His hazel eyes looked quite dozy.<p>

"I'IS BECAUSE OF _YOU_!" he screamed at his wife, Eileen Snape neé Prince, referring to the fact that lately, he was drinking more and more.

She was thin and dark-haired, with thick black eyebrows that made the angry scowl on her long oval face even more pronounced. She had a hunched posture, as if terribly self-conscious, and she was clad in a stained nightshirt. "And when you lose your job it is probably my fault as well, you leathered scumbag." she huffed.

"DON' GIVE ME CHEEK!" Tobias was rapidly losing his self-control now. He took a step into Eileens direction, and from the look of his face it seemed like he was about to attack her. Eileen, who realized her mistake, cowered.

In the corner sat their five-year old son, Severus Snape. He was sitting on the ground, holding an old shoe like other children would hold a teddybear, even though he was too old for one.

Physically, Severus seemed to have only inherited his parents' bad traits, as if to mock them. Even for a child, he was short and scrawny, near emaciated. His skin was pasty and yellowish and his unevenly cut hair hung limply along his long little face. Together with his eyes and eyebrows, his hair was coal-black, making him seem even paler by contrast, but also giving him something vaguely mysterious.

With squeezed eyes, Eileen hissed to Tobias: "Still regret ever meeting you, Tobias Snape."

Tobias, not knowing what to answer to that because he didn't know anyone glad to meet him either, did not need more encouragement. His fist landed on Eileens face with force. She covered one of her eyes and made a soft pained sound. Tobias hit her again, spat in her face and kept hitting until Eileen collapsed, whimpering.

Severus threw away the shoe and walked towards the corner of the room, where he sat down again, knees pulled up and sobbing uncontrollably.

* * *

><p>Eileen only cleaned the house one in two months, because even cooking dinner had became a tremendously difficult chore. Luckily, Severus was a quiet child who did not ask for much attention. Eileen was always watching him suspiciously, wondering if he would turn out to be an useless, drinking Muggle like his dad.<p>

Eileen Snapes parents were magical and she was a witch, who had attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As soon as professor Flitwick, supported by two chairs, had put the Sorting Head on her black hair, she had non-verbally hissed to it: "Don't you dare putting me into Gryffindor, you piece of mould!" "SLYTHERIN!" the Sorting Hat had called cheerfully. Everyone had cheered, and Eileen still remembered the great, excited feeling it had given her.

In the first six years Eileen had been ambitious. She had had great fantasies about getting a career as a spell creator as soon as she would finish Hogwarts. But because of her pertinently bad mood, her grades had started to lower. In a moment of desperation, Eileen had decided to steal a SmartPotion from professor Slughorn's office. The potion had worked like a charm. Suddenly, she had achieved Outstandings at every subject. However, as soon as the potion started wearing off, she had gone back to her usual Acceptables. Unable to cope with this loss, Eileen had started stealing potions more regularly. The then Headmaster of Hogwarts, Armando Dippett, had promised Appolyon Pringle, the Hogwarts caretaker, that he would get promoted to caretaker of both Hogwarts and the Forbidden Forest if he succeeded in catching the potion thief.

Appolyon Pringle, who had been extremely devoted to his duty, had eagerly agreed. Not too much later , on a fateful day in September, he had caught Eileen red-handed searching Slughorns office for more SmartPotion. Without listening to her desperate pleas, Appolyon had handed her over to the Headmaster with no mercy. Eileen still got furious when she thought about it. She also remembered the almost pitying look on the face of the Headmaster and how she had felt something resembling shame in front of him. Dippett had told her that he was sorry, but rules were rules, and he was forced to expel her from Hogwarts.

Eileen still got a cold feeling in her stomach when she remembered walking out of his office and was guided home by a useless half-giant called Hagrid, who, in his own words 'could not stand to watch crying witches'. As he had told her about his own expellation three years ago, she had felt somehow comforted, and when she had inconspicuously waved the thick halfbreed goodbye, a strange hope about the new life awaiting had befallen her.

However,without proof of Hogwarts graduation, Eileen had not been able to find a decent magical job. And she had not been able to find a decent Muggle job either, causing her to make the worst decision of her life: to marry the first Muggle man who showed any interest in her.

* * *

><p>"I' 'ave an idea!" Tobias slurred on a bright day while sipping from his whiskey bottle. It was the day before Severus would turn nine. 'Why don' we jus' pu' Seve'us in a box an' dump 'im somewhere? They do i' wif weak puppies an' ki'ens, too'.<p>

"You idiot!" Eileen said, and the look in her eyes was rather scary.

Suddenly, Tobias' bottle of whiskey broke and fell on the ground, glass flying everywhere. The spilled whiskey somehow rose from the ground in a twirling spiral and spat Tobias in the eyes. He rubbed them frantically.

"I' bu'ns!" he shouted.

When he was able to open his eyes, bloodshot and swollen, and he looked at the ground again, Tobias held his breath in shock.

The pieces of glass were arranged in such a way that they spelled "YOU INSTEAD".

Stepping back as if fearing a bad spirit would attack him and shifting his gaze from Severus to Eileen, who both were on a ten-feet distance, Tobias stuttered, still wide-eyed:

"T-this place is 'aunted."

Then, something in his glance changed and he slowly walked towards Eileen, unstable as a tightrope walker.

"THIS DOES NOT 'AVE ANYTHIN' TO DO WIFF YOUR MAGIC BULLSHI', DOES I'?!" he shouted at her, pointing in her direction with a large piece of glass. She shuddered.

"I think... I think it was me." Severus interrupted softly, staring at the ground. He then looked up. ''Magic bullshit'?' he repeated with a curious glint in his black eyes.

"YOU TOLD ME THA' THIS WAS IMPOSSIBLE!" Tobias shouted at Eileen. "You...you told me you' kind couldn' pass on thei' tricks when they breed wiff Muggles.."

Suddenly, Eileen straightened herself and did not look so hunched anymore.

"You better accept that I am a witch and your son is a wizard." she said with a menacing look in her eyes and grabbed something out of her pocket. It was a wand. Green sparks were coming out of it. Tobias gazed at it, absolutely gobsmacked. He then raised his hands, still holding the piece of glass.

"Alrite, alrite" he snarled. "Do you' conju'in' tricks togeffah. As lon' as you don' botha me wif it."

* * *

><p>The day that his mother had told him he was a wizard, Severus had experienced a strange unknown feeling. He started to get it more often when his mother had suddenly become talkative. She had gone upstairs and had showed him an old, dusty room that had been locked before. It had been stuffed with hundreds of ancient-looking books.<p>

Eileen had told Severus about a world invisible for non-magical, or Muggle eyes. He had learned that the reason why his father was such a loser was because he was a Muggle, and that had given him a new sense of self-confidence. Breathless he had listened to his mothers' stories about a world were dragons, unicorns and thousand of other Fantastic Beasts actually existed, were there was a Wizarding court, prisons and even a ministry. And most important, a school where you were teached how to perform all sorts of magic.

"It's better than this shitty Muggle world." Eileen had stated. "When you attend Hogwarts, you have to achieve good grades and never, ever cheat. Then you can get a magical career and escape this place."

Severus could not wait for the letter. "May I use your wand? I want to learn spells right now!" he asked and felt a rare excited feeling well up in his stomach.

"Of course not." Eileen growled. "There is a reason you aren't allowed to have a wand and learn spells until you turn eleven and go to Hogwarts. You can read the books, but they're old; I doubt they are valuable." She trudged out of the room with bent shoulders.

Curiously, Severus viewed all the books with titles and writers he had never heard of. He decided it would probably be for the best if he started with a book called _A History Of Magic_ by Bathilda Bagshot. He stared at the cover, portraying a knight and a tall wizard that reminded him of King Arthur and Merlin from the dusty, crumbling book he had once got as his seventh birthday present.

He shrieked when suddenly, King Arthur raised his sword to him and a flash of white light temporarily lightened the cover. Did they just _move_? Wondering if he was imagining it or if it was just this book, Severus randomnly grabbed another book called _Magical Creatures And How To Care For Them_. On the cover sat an owl. Just when Severus thought he had all imagined it, the owl blinked at him.

He almost dropped the book. But then he started to laugh. Severus had never heard himself laugh; it was an unfamiliar, alien, shrill sound. This was _brilliant_! Books with moving photos! It was the best he had ever seen in his entire life. He picked up _A History of Magic_, carefully opened the ancient-looking book discovering yellowing pages and began reading the first chapter, called _Magic In Most Ancient Times_. He could not stop reading until his mom screeched she had made dinner.

After dinner (a hastily cooked, unappealing looking and tasting stew), Severus immediately returned to his mother's room again. Time passed far more quickly with this new pastime. He even found himself flicking on an old oil lamp to keep reading well into the night, and took a few books with him to his room. The next morning he realised that he had fallen asleep with his head on _A history of Magic_. And as soon as he had rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, he took the opportunity to read on from where he had stopped.

Soon, Severus had become used to all the moving pictures, the pages flipping at every one of his unspoken commands. After a long while he had read or at least skimmed through _A history of magic_, _Hogwarts: A history_, _The standard book of spells_ by Miranda Goshawk, _Magical drafts and potions_ by Arsenius Jagger, _A beginner's guide to transfiguration_ by Emeric Switch, _The Dark Forces: a guide to self-protection_ by Quentin Trimble, _Magical Theory _by Adalbert Waffling and _Spells from the Middle Ages_ by Reinier Gothard.


	2. A WITCH AND A MUGGLE

With slow and determined strokes of the paintbrush, something that started to resemble the carcass of a small rodent became visible on the dark painted background of the linen canvas. One of Eileens hobbies was painting, and her paintings were almost all still-lifes of animal carcasses and rotten fruit. Tobias hated them, but Severus liked the one that adorned the stark wall of his room. It portrayed a bowl of rotten apples with a few healthy ones next to it. Sometimes Severus tried to understand what it meant, but he never really came up with anything.

"Are you paintin' again?" Tobias grunted at Eileen.

"Bettah make money ou' of i' this time – give i' to people an' make 'em pay to refuse i'". He laughed maniacally.

Like always, he was on his way to get drunk again. Severus did not want to make him angry, so he did not reply. Eileen had not even heard it, immersed as she was in her painting. When she was painting she did not hear anything at all. Maybe if somebody set their house on fire, but Severus doubted even that. When his mother got that hypnotic look in her eyes, he knew that she wasn't responsive and seeing as his 'dad' was making a fool of himself again, Severus left the house with the usual hollow, sick feeling in his stomach. Like always no one realized he had left.

* * *

><p>There <em>have <em>to be any signs of magic besides me and mum, Severus thought happily. After all, Eileen had told him that some wizards and witches lived amongst ordinary Muggles just like them. And by now, Severus was sure he could almost smell them, with some hidden instinct he had only become aware of now.

As he walked through streets with rows and rows of identical, neat houses, clean as a whistle, he felt very out of place. Then the neat identical houses were obstructed by a small field surrounded by trees. It contained two swings. Severus was tempted to try them, since he had never sat on a swing before, but he restrained himself, because somebody was there. As he hid behind one of the bushes surrounding the playground, he stole a glance.

It was a child, and it looked around his age. The thick hair, red like autumn leaves, fell gracefully past the frail shoulders. The skin was paler than he had ever seen, too, white and covered with tiny freckles. It was wearing a dress and white shoes with a low heel and ankle strap covering the slender feet. A _girl_.  
>She turned around and walked towards one of the swings. As she sat down and looked up, Severus examined the face. The eyes were green and cat-like, the cheeks covered, too, in freckles. The nose was smaller than his own. The mouth was pink and fuller than his. As he watched the green-eyed girl swing back and forth, he noticed a carelessness he had never experienced himself.<p>

When she was the highest she had been, the redhead suddenly let go of the swing with her arms reached towards the sky. One second Severus got a harsh, sunken feeling in his chest, but the next moment he saw something that just was not possible by Muggle standards. The green-eyed girl did not fall. Instead, she slowly floated towards the ground as if attached to an invisible parachute. She landed on the grass with a big smile. Giggling, she ran towards the swing again, like she knew something that others did not.

While his heart was beating rapidly in his chest from excitement, Severus did not want to reveal himself to the unknown witch girl.

Not yet.

* * *

><p>Severus stood inside his room, in front of his cranky closet with flaking paint, desperately searching for something decent to wear. But all clean things that were left were a pair of too-short, ruined jeans and one of Eileens white smocks. With dislike, he eventually pulled it on because at least it was better than nothing.<p>

Severus looked in the mirror. His black hair was unevenly cut by Eileen; some parts of it still reached his shoulders, the other half was short. But he didn't really care about that as much as about his horrible lacy top and too-short jeans revealing his skinny ankles. A look out of the window greeted him with the blinding light of July sun, telling him that it was too hot to put on Tobias' patched, oversized old coat. Like he had another choice.

When Severus walked downstairs, there was nobody to be seen and he was instead greeted by the irritating noise of flies buzzing around empty cans of beer and dirty utensils in the kitchen. He shook some of the flies off and managed to kill some with an opened bill.

He had forgotten that it was saturday and on saturday, Eileen always cleaned houses of old or better-off people in the neighbourhood. She loathed this job with carefully maintained passion, but, as she always said: 'Someone needs to sacrifice themselves and in that realm I have plenty of experience. But whatd'ya know about that? You're only nine.' Severus did not know where his 'dad' was, but he did not care to know either. Probably the useless bastard was already filling himself with booze in the pub. With a sigh, he started to clean everything up.

It had been two weeks ago since he had first seen her and Severus had never seen the red-haired witch girl again, but he kept going to the playground every day. And though he had not expected it anymore, this time his wish got fullfilled.

Only this time, the stranger had brought a companion with her. It was another girl with hair blonde as straw, a bony face, upturned nose and pouty mouth. Tall and lanky, the person looked more like a boy than a girl, Severus thought, apart from the blue flower-printed dress that flapped against her legs when she swayed back and forth on the swing. She definitely looked less striking than her friend - or was it her sister? and also looked older by at least two, maybe even three or four years.

"Lily, don't do it!" she shrieked when _Lily_'s swing was at its peak of height.

But Severus knew what the red-haired girl was going to do and she did it anyway. Gracefully, Lily let go of the swing like a trapeze artist and floated in the air for a few seconds before she landed lightly on her feet. Severus watched again in awe; even though he liked to think he had knowledge about the magical world, he had yet to do something _like this_.

"Mummy told you not to!" the older girl insisted, dragging the heels of her sandals against the ground until her swing stopped and she straightened herself, with her hands on her hips.

"Mummy said you weren't allowed, Lily!"

Lily however was still giggling, and did not look impressed. "But I'm fine. Tuney, look at this. Watch what I can do."  
>Her voice was like a fuzzy blanket, or like a fountain in hot weather.<p>

She came closer to the bushes behind he was hiding, and Severus held his breath in shock. Had she seen him? Was she about to curse him? A thousand thoughts tumbled over each other in his mind. But instead of even having noticed him, Lily picked up a fallen flower in front of the bushes behind which he was lurking and then walked towards Tuney again. Severus slowly released his breath in relief.

Tuney glaced around as if she was afraid that somebody would see them, then finally drew nearer. Lily had sticked out her hand with the palm upwards. The fallen flower opened and closed its petals. Severus watched breathlessly, but much to his distaste, Tuney interrupted again, in that shrieking voice of hers:

"Stop it!"

"It's not hurting you." Lily said, but she still did what her friend or her sister had said and closed her hand on the flower, a flash of disappointment quickly appearing in the emerald green eyes.

"It's not right." said Tuney, but her own light eyes still watched the flower gently fleeting away. Her feeble gaze lingered on it for a while.  
>"How do you do it?" she then added, and now a new sort of longing echoed in her voice.<p>

Severus could no longer contain himself. Before he knew it, he had jumped forward, out of the bushes. The was a crunched sound of broken twigs and leaves were flying in the air.

"It's obvious, isn't it?" he heard himself say, his usual barely audible voice sounding loud and clear on the quiet playground.

It made Tuney shriek; she ran towards the swings as if he was something to be scared of. Lily instead had not moved from her spot, but she looked very startled.  
>Severus felt his cheeks getting warm in shame. In all his eagerness, he had not realized that apparently, watching from behind a pair of bushes and then suddenly interrupting someone elses conversation was not considered a very normal thing to do. He should have approached them differently - but it was already too late for that now...<p>

They both faced him, and he had never experienced getting so much attention for his words, although he felt an odd sort of enmity radiating from the blonde-haired Muggle girl, far away as she was.

"What's obvious?" Lily suddenly asked.

Excitement like he had never felt before bubbled up in Severus' chest, so much that it made him nervous.  
>He quickly glanced at Tuney, who hovered around the swings as if deciding whether to run away, and his voice automatically lowered when he focused only at Lily.<p>

"I know what you are" he told Lily. But she gave him a look as if she didn't understand.

"What do you mean?"

"You're... you're a witch." Severus whispered.

Instead of looking cheerful, like he had been when he had discovered he was a wizard, her pretty mouth and eyes twitched into an affronted expression. And instead of thanking him for telling her the reason of her magical powers, Lily answered in a voice high-pitched with emotion:

"_That _is not a nice thing to say to somebody!"

And with her nose in the air, she turned around and marched off towards Tuney.

"No!" Severus said louder, cringing at the desperation in his voice. The sun had no mercy and he felt sweat dripping down his back, but it did not stop him from hurrying towards the two girls, who looked at him apprehensively, both suddenly holding on to the poles of the swings rather tightly.

"You _are"_ he tried again, gazing into Lily's emerald green eyes. "You _are _a witch. I've been watching you for a while. But there's nothing wrong with that. My mum's one, and I'm a wizard."

Tuney seemed to have found her courage again, and laughed mockingly.  
>"Wizard!" she shrieked, in that unpleasant, almost glass-shattering voice of hers.<p>

"_I _know who _you _are. You're that Snape boy!" She sent him a superior glance.

"They live down Spinner's End by the river" she clarified to Lily, as if his mom, dad and him were some sort of rat plague. Then she turned to him again.  
>"Why have you been spying on us?"<p>

Severus felt a hot, intense anger boiling inside of him, spreading to his toes, raising to his head. The sun was still burning, multiplying the hidden rain of sweatdrops, and making his unwashed hair feel clammy and stick to his face, adding to his growing regret of ever having left his spot in the shadows.  
>"Haven't been spying!" he defended himself.<p>

Then, as he looked at the waste of Muggle space called Tuney, the anger spilled out of him in an unstoppable wave.

"Wouldn't spy on _you_, anyway" he heard himself spat at her, "_you're_ a Muggle." His voice sounded prickly like thorns. And that had not escaped Tuney.

"Lily, come on, we're leaving!" she said shrilly, and Lily obeyed her sister at once. She glared at Severus when she left, and the expression in them was unreadable.

Severus felt pinned to his spot, and stood motionless in the heat until both of the girls had vanished. Heavy, bitter disappointment made his heart feel like a stone in his chest, and when he torn his gaze away from the place they had disappeared, he had to blink his eyes ferociously in order to stop the tears from forming.


	3. GOBSTONES

It was morning, and Severus slowly walked down the creaking stairs, passing Tobias, who was just heading to bed, and the overpowering smell of alcohol lingered around him. He did not greet Severus so Severus did not greet him either. He was glad to see that for once, there weren't any flies buzzing around in the living room. On the table was a strange looking box he had never seen before.

"Tobias is probably asleep for the whole day" Eileen said, "so do you want to play a game with me?"

"What kind of game?' Severus asked curiously.

Eileen opened the box on the table and it revealed a wooden board with a circle on it, containing three inner rings, and a hole in the middle. It also contained a velvet purple sack. Eileen put the board on the table and opened the sack. Brightly colored, marble-like stones rolled out of it.

"It is called Gobstones" she said rather proudly.

She handed Severus fifteen of the red-yellow marbles and took the other fifteen, who where blue-purple, herself. Severus examinated them. Although they slightly resembled marbles they looked like nothing he had ever seen before and suddenly he was sure the game was magical in some way.

"Back at Hogwarts, I was the Captain of the Slytherin Gobstones Club" Eileen confirmed his guess.

"You have different sorts of Gobstone games. Let's start with the classic one." She took seven of Severus' Gobstones and carefully placed them in the middle of the circle, around the hole. She did the same with her own. Then, she hovered her hand over all the stones and they suddenly jumped and floated around until all randomnly distributed within the circle.

"The rules are as follows..." Eileen began importantly.

"You have to knock out your opponent's Gobstones out of the circle with yours. Ok, I start."

She hunched forward and with her pink tongue stuck out in concentration she firmly tapped against one of her Gobstones with one of her thin fingers, aiming for the Gobstone of Severus that was the closest to the edge of the ring. It immediately rolled out of it and before he knew it, Severus was splashed in the eye by the stone with an odd bright-green liquid that smelled like their trashcan when the trashbag had not been changed for a month.

"Ewww!" Severus could not help but scream, "what the hell is this?! You haven't told me this!"

"I figured you'd found out." Eileen said and she started to laugh, trying to restrain herself but failing miserably. She doubled over and while laughing loudly, tears when forming into her eyes.

Severus was angry, but at the same time he got a pleasant feeling of wanting to take revenge.

But to his dismay, the Gobstones didn't exactly behave like marbles. Not that he had had much experience with marbles; once, a boy in the street had given him three out of pity and after a few games he had lost them. But the Gobstone did not roll towards the right direction after his strong tap; it bounced on the board and eventually came to an halt on a total unplanned spot, almost knocking one of his own stones out of the circle.  
>Again he was sprayed with liquid smelling like all sorts of shit, and he growled in frustration.<p>

Eileen was surprisingly good at keeping the Gobstones move in check; in a short amound of time, only two of Severus' Gobstones had remained on the board. He seethed with frustration and couldn't take it anymore. He grabbed all seven of Eileens stones and placed them out of the circle by hand. But Eileen wasn't sprayed with liquid.

"That's _cheating _what you're doing!" she protested angrily. "And look, it doesn't work. See? See how trying to take a shortcut is never a good idea?"

Severus nodded, disappointed. But then, an almost warm expression glided over Eileens face.

"You don't know just how glad I am you are magical." she said, her eyes slowly darting over Severus' face.  
>"Deep down, I knew it. I have always known it since the moment you opened your eyes and I saw that they were dark like mine and not filthy mud-brown-green like Tobias'. But I had not seen the typical signs my parents experienced with me. You didn't change any objects when you were little or stuff like that. I think you repressed it. Who wouldn't, around our beloved Toby?" She snorted disdainfully.<p>

"Will I ever learn that - changing objects?" Severus asked hopefully.

Eileen looked almost insulted at the very thought of him not learning this. "Of course, you twit!" she said.

"It's called Transfiguration, and you'll start learning it directly at your first year at Hogwarts. But it is very difficult, and you'll only be able to Transfigure large things if you do your bleedin' best. If you... study everyday, get all of your O.W.L's and N.E.W.T's and that kind of stuff. You have to learn much. But I know you have read my books, many of them.. You have potential." She smiled, and it was the first time Severus saw a genuine smile on her face. He tried to hold on to the feeling it gave him as long as possible.

"I know it's called Transfiguration." he said, "But I have always wondered..." For some reason, the questions remained stuck in his throat. Eileen hated to discuss private things. This time, however, she encouraged him.

"You wondered what?"

"One. What happened to your parents? Two. Were my grandparents magical too? Three. Why did you marry my dad?"  
>As soon as the questions had escaped his mouth, Severus inwardly cursed himself and prepared himself for having to perform an awful chore in the house.<p>

But Eileen sighed, suddenly looking quite sad and younger, more innocent.  
>"My dad died first." She told him. "Of dragon pox - that is a very common wizarding illness. But my father had the very acute kind. My mom brought him to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, but he didn't even make it, he.." Her breath hitches. "He died on their way. I forgot to attend his funeral, such a shame. And mom... She eventually turned the wand on herself. From grief. Anyway, I think I have answered your second question already since Muggles don't get wizarding illnesses. The last one, however, is difficult..." She seemed lost in thought.<p>

"I think... I think because I had the wrong idea about Muggles. I had heard stories about how awful they were, and when still at Hogwarts I did not want to have _anything _to do with them, I assure you." Her black eyes got a defiant expression. "But then disaster struck me, and I was actually forced to live with the very Muggles I so detested!"

"Why?" Severus did not understand what went wrong.

"Whatd'ya mean, why? Why I had bad luck? Why I had to live with Muggles?" Eileen send him a furious look.

"Both." Severus mumbled, cowering.

"I made a horrible mistake you should _never, ever _make." Eileen grunted through gritted teeth. "I don't want to talk about it. Eventually, my wand was snapped and I received the old one from great aunt Iphigenia when she died. That one is quite useless, but don't tell Tobias". She shuddered.

"I won't" Severus promised, wondering what that mistake had been, but he did not dare to ask.

"I have done all sorts of gruesome magical jobs." Eileen continued with a sepulchral voice. "Collecting potion ingredients such as Imp spittle, frog eyes, Unicorn vomit and seeds of the Venomous Tentacula, fishing human remains for identification out of troll shit, being a Tester for potentially dangerous healing spells and cleaning every wand and corner in Olivander's wand shop - without magic, because it might disturb the magic of the wands themselves.

'But the absolute worst was my job at the Muggle Department at the Ministry of Magic. I had to read hundreds of Muggle papers every day, to see if there had been any magical accidents that made it neccessary to Obliviate them. The papers were so incredibly boring, and I couldn't care less about things happening to Muggles. Maybe, I would have been able to stick with it if the work pressure wasn't so high. But I quit.

'My father was enraged that I had wasted such a good chance. He told me he and mom weren't going to provide for me anymore. I told them there weren't any other job vacancies for witches like me that had no proper education. But my parents said it would be good for me to find a Muggle job, to see what it was like to be a Muggle - they thought maybe that would cause me to appreciate my magical gift a bit more.

"It did. But my parents had forgotten one thing. Reading about the way of living and habits of Muggles couldn't have prepared me for actually living amongst them. I learned a harsh lesson - that maybe, I wasn't all that better than them at all. I managed to find a Muggle job at a factory, and it multiplied my bad moods to the power of ten. Then one of my colleagues suddenly quit. I asked her, why would you quit, don't you need money for living or something? There wasn't any social security yet at that time.  
>And then Claudia Anderson told me that she had just <em>married<em>.  
>And that was the moment I realized that the only way out of this hell would be marrying a Muggle - temporarily of course."<p>

She laughed bitterly.

"It didn't turn out to be as easy as I expected, I assure you! At Hogwarts I always was considered the oddball, but Muggles were even worse. They did not grant me a second glance when I visited their nasty pubs. But one day when I was there, that crap Muggle pub owner played a song from the Muggle music group The Beatles - and it was called _Misery _and your dad took my hand and dragged me on the dance floor. He didn't dance half bad back then.  
>In short, he was... how do I put it? The only candidate."<p>

Eileen looked at an old photo of the two of them together.

"We dated, and things got awfully serious for him. I could not relate to him at all - I did not even dare to tell him I was a witch out of fear how he would react. I still dreamed about once getting a magical job again and marrying a wizard. But then I got pregnant."

"So - why did you stay with him?" Severus asked, a hint of repressed anger in his voice.

"I have an uncle." Eileen said darkly. "Aldrich Forlorn. Used to work at the Ministry as well, and he's greedy like no other. Somehow, when my mother was in the midst of her depression, he had convinced her to change her will. Told her that I had almost turned into a Muggle myself because I married one, and that with my Muggle husband, lack of magical education and experience I was happier as a Muggle anyway, so for what did I need her Galleons for? He himself already had a great plan with them - investing in a medicine for dragon pox."

Eileen clenches her hands to fists. "Of course that was a lie."

"But that is horrible!" Severus said angrily. "He needs to pay for this, and-"

"And what purpose would that serve? He's already broke now, gambled it all away... Lives in a slum now, also amongst Muggles.' Eileen sighed. 'Even worse than this. You can't squeeze money out of a turnip. Ha! What goes around, comes around. In the end, I am sort of happy that I married Tobias. He might be a drunkard, and jobless, but at least I profit from his Muggle welfare. And when he hasn't drunk...then he can be decent. You know."

Severus decided it would be best to nod, even though he had rarely ever seen Tobias sober.

"Let's play another game of Gobstones." Eileen said, smiling wickedly.

* * *

><p>Severus massaged his temples with his hands like he had sometimes seen Tobias do when he had a hangover. He had managed to win one time with Gobstones, and it had been absolutely brilliant. He tried to stop thinking about the 'horrible mistake' his mother had made. It was probably nothing. He went into her room again in search for more books.<p>

Severus' mood brightened when he saw a shelf with magical books that he had not seen before. He grabbed _Curses and Counter-Curses (Bewitch your Friends and Befuddle your Enemies) _by Miserus Ealdwine,_ Abracadabra: An A-Z of Spooky Spells_ by Algar Ghoulish,_ Basic Hexes for the Busy and Vexed_ by Jing Liu and _Magicke Most Evile _by a 'Godelot'. He wiped the dust off the books and skipped through each one of them. Eagerly his eyes flashed over beautiful-sounding names such as Jelly-Legs Jinx and Fiendfyre. Some seemed to be very difficult, others not.

It turned out that you could make things explode and make objects fly towards someone with magic, and even brainwash, torture or kill them, although the last three curses were forbidden by magical law. A new sort of excitement welled up in Severus' stomach when he read about all the new spells. These spells gave him a strange feeling that _A standard book of spells_ did not, and he was far more enthousiastic to learn any of _those_ spells than those in _A standard book of spells_. Severus was disappointed, more than ever, that he was not able to use a wand.

But when he was eleven, he would show Eileen and the world what a good wizard he was going to become. And he would show Lily. And Tuney. Although he wasn't quite sure what Tuney had to do with anything. At eleven, he would finally be able to explode things. Nobody would be able to mess with him anymore. It was a sweet outlook.

* * *

><p>"How're the church meetin's goin', son?" Curtis Snape asked Tobias.<p>

It was wednesday, and on wednesday Tobias, Eileen and Severus always visited Tobias' parents.  
>His grandfather had taken a seat in his regular chair by the window in the dark, stuffed livingroom. Now and then he took a puff of his black pipe. He still was a rather stockily-build man, with greasy brown, parted hair that had several gray streaks, and a moustache. He was wearing thick glasses and his 'visitors-shirt'. His 'visitors-shirt' was dark blue with flamingo's on it.<p>

Deana Snape, his grandmother, stood in the middle of the room, squeezing her hands. She was wearing an oldfashioned, high-collared flower dress. Her blonde-grey hair laid in thick curls on her head and her light-gray, blind eyes stared sightless into the room.

Tobias and Eileen sat down on the rickety couch. Severus let himself sink in on one of the dusty, big, old-fashioned chairs that he always felt he kind of drowned in.

Since in the Cokeworth of the seventies there did not exist anything like _Alcoholics Anonymous_, Tobias' parents were under the delusion that he went to church meetings every saturday to get rid of his alcohol addiction.

"They a'e goin'.." Tobias slurred, his eyes blinking uncontrollably.

"They are a piece of cake!" Eileen interrupted him.

"I wanted to 'ear i' from Tobias 'imself. Nevahmin', bring me somefin' to drink please, dear!" Severus' grandfather asked his grandmother.

"Sure, sweetheart. What do you want?" Severus' grandmother screeched.

"Gimme some Royal Lochnagar, please... An' what do you all wan'?" he asked, looking around.

"Water" Tobias murmured.

Eileen and Severus both asked for a can of soda.

A few minutes later, grandmother stumbled back into the livingroom with a plate of drinks. 'Here is your soda..' she said while handing Severus one of the cans. Since his grandmother was blind he always checked the date. Two months ago, that was still drinkable.

"And here is your water, dear..." she said, giving Tobias the Royal Lochnagar. He quicky took a sip.

"Deana!" Severus' grandfather protested. "You'e givin' 'im the wron' drink!"

"Oops, sorry! I'm getting old. Oh well, here's your water." Tobias looked very disappointed.

"And does anyone want a malted milk cookie?" She opened the jar and an indescribable odor filled the room.

Severus took a quick glance at the content. These cookies were at least two years old. No longer edible. Still, he did not want to disappoint his grandmother, so he took one molded cookie and tried to sound grateful. "Thanks!" he uttered.

Eileen said she was on a diet. "Finally not that skinny anymore then eh? You shouldn't be on a diet! Oh well, these women nowadays.." Grandmother said.

Tobias grabbed one without even looking and took a huge bite. "They'e nice." he said and took another one.

"An' hows my grandson doin'?" Grandfather said, not looking up from the paper he was reading.

"Good" Severus lied.

"An' a' school?" Now his grandfather did look up from his paper and glared at him from behind his thick glasses.

"Very good as well." Severus said.

"I ave the feelin' 'e is lyin'!" Mr. Snape punched his paper.

"No, he isn't" Eileen tried to reassure him. "And Severus goes to a boarding school next year."

The face of Severus' grandfather brightened and he said: "A boarding school! That sounds very good! I'm sure he will be teached lots of motivation and discipline."  
>He was immersed in his paper again, but this time with a smile on his face.<p>

Severus was glad when they left. Before they could head towards the door, his grandmother gave him a sloppy kiss and grabbed his hair.

"Kind of greasy and long, isn't it, Eileen?" she remarked. "Here's a fiver for the hairdresser!"

"Thanks." Eileen grumbled.

"An' fee' 'im some mo'e, 'is legs a'e almos' as skinny as my wris's" Grandfather added.

They hugged Tobias, and Eileen grabbed his arm before he fell. Outside, she drew out a relieved sigh.


	4. THE TREE THICKET

"I am sorry. For what my sister said."

Severus turned around hearing the girl's voice. It was Lily! She had walked all the way to Spinner's End...

"It's.. it's ok." His voice sounded strangely nervous, and he hoped she hadn't noticed how glad he was hearing these words, or knowing that she had took the trouble to visit him here. He was glad that he had put on Tobias' coat, be he desperately hoped it made him look cool and streetwise enough.

Lily was wearing a yellow sundress this time, and her thick red hair fell in perfect waves on her shouders. Her green eyes looked friendly and inviting.

"Petunia can be a little bit stupid sometimes. But I wonder..." she took a deep breath, "if you could tell me more about being a witch."

_Petunia_. So that was what the brat was fully called. Severus tried to banish the vision of Petunia out of his mind and answered "Of course." He hoped it did not sound too greedy.

"Ok!" With an excited glint in her eyes Lily leaned forward. "How did you discover you're a wizard yourself?"

Severus swallowed and decided it was best to lie. "My mum told me. She told me I did all kinds of magic stuff since I was little... Changing... teacups in frogs. All these kind of things."

Lily giggled. "Why would you change teacups in frogs?"

Severus frowned. "I could not _choose _what I wanted to change and in what, you know. You only learn that at Hogwarts."

He walked out of the street and Lily followed him.

"Hogwarts?" she asked, confused.

"Yes!" Severus said, getting the unknown feeling again. "Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry!"

"There's a _school_?" Lily looked pleasantly surprised and almost as excited as he was himself. "A school where I'm teached magic?"

"Yeah." said Severus. "And when we're eleven, we'll both get an invitation. By owl."

Now, Lily looked confused. "But... but... my parents never told me about that!" she said in a concerned voice.

Severus raised his eyebrows. "Your parents are Muggles too?"

"Muggles?" Lily said, not understanding, but there suddenly was a suspicious undertone in her voice.  
>"You called Petunia a Muggle, too! What does that even mean?"<p>

Severus suddenly regretted what he had said; he looked at the ground and mumbled: "It's a word for non-magical persons."

He could feel Lily study him. 'Well, it doesn't sound like a very nice word.' she concluded.

Now, Severus looked up desperately. "No! I mean..." He struggled to find words. "I don't mean anything bad with it. Your parents are non-magical, that's all." He swallowed. "That's the reason why they haven't told you about Hogwarts."

Lily looked relieved. "How do you know all this?" she asked curiously, and there was a glint of admiration in it that made Severus feel warm inside.

"From my mum. And I've read it in books." he said.

"Magical books?" Lily asked breathlessly. He nodded.

"Can I see them? Can I read them too? Will you lend me one?"

Severus became nervous again. He could not let Lily inside his home; what if she met Tobias or Eileen would be in one of her rude moods? But Lily was so eager to read a magical book, and he did not want to deny her anything...

"I'll get one for you later." he said.

"When is later?" Lily asked, disappointed.

"Tomorrow" Severus added hastily. "If you show me where you live, I'll.. I'll put it in your mailbox."

Lily did not ask any more questions and just said "Thanks" in her soft, happy voice. Severus smiled at her.

They walked towards the good part of Cokeworth. "What sort of magic do they learn you at that school - Hog- Hogwarts-" Lily began.

"All sorts!" Severus said excitedly. "Changing stuff - that's called Transfiguration, how to perform spells, brew potions, the history of the Wizarding World, Herbology, how to protect yourself against the Dark Arts, Ancient runes, Arithmancy - that's predicting the future using numbers, Care for Magical Creatures... And even Quidditch! That is a game where you fly on a broomstick!"

Lily's eyes glinstered. "I can't wait to go..." she said.

"Me neither." Severus said with a sigh. "But we can already practise magic together!"

"Let's start with Transfiguration, then." Lily said. "How did you do that, changing teacups in frogs?"

Severus felt his cheeks getting warm, feeling caught, but said: "I just did. How did you fly from that swing?"

Lily smirked. "I just did. Please Transfigure something for me. These leaves." She grabbed a few leaves from the ground and pushed them in his hands.

Nervousness welled up in Severus' chest again, this time also accompanied by fear. He had read in _A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration_ that he had to envision the leaves' molecular structure and the structure of the thing he wanted to change it into. But he didn't know a thing about molecular structures.  
>He looked at the pair of leaves with squeezed eyes from concentration, desperately imagining that they would turn into butterflies. Suddenly, the leaves started morphing rapidly.<p>

Lily shrieked at first, but then clapped and cheered when suddenly two thick, hairy spiders escaped from Severus' hand. He grinned; he almost could not believe what had just happened. It wasn't perfect of course, but Severus was thankful that the leaves had changed at all. And without wand! Maybe he had as much magic as Lily after all...

"Can you teach me how - how to fly from that swing?" he asked Lily.

"Sure" she grinned. They walked towards the playground again and both sat down upon the swings, swinging back and forth into the air. Severus had never felt a sensation like it.

"I count..." Lily said as she zoomed past, "to... three...ONE, TWO, THREE!" And she let go of the swing. But Severus didn't.

"What if I fall!" Severus shouted at Lily, who was making a somersault in the air and now seemed to be floating with her arms wide open. "Just do it! Nothing bad will happen! You are a wizard!"

And he let go of the swing, and... suddenly he experienced what it must be like to be a bird, or to set foot on the moon... It was like he was weightless and there existed no gravity at all...

He grinned widely. "I told you! It is fun, isn't it?" Lily said.

Severus nodded and grabbed her hand. Lily made some elegant ballet-like movements before they both landed - softly.

"That was marvelous" Severus said breathlessly, "let's do that again".

Lily nodded, smirking broadly. After they had fled from the swings countless times, Lily told him with disappointment in her voice that she really had to go.

"It's fine, I have to be going too. Not that I want to. My parents are argueing for days."  
>It had escaped his mouth before he had realized it. A small lie, but not far from the true. Too close to the truth for his liking. But there was something about Lily that made him trust her.<p>

Her face turned into an expression he had never seen before - compassion, but not the dreaded pity.

"Aww! I hope they make up with each other! You can come with me, then you can see my house." she said.

Lily's house was as new and well-kept and neat as all the other houses in the good part of Cokeworth. It was painted white and had a luxurious garden that contained all sorts of flowers.

"I will meet you again another day, right? What's your name?" Lily then covered her mouth with her hand in shock. "Petunia says your surname is Snape, but I did not ask your first name!"

"It's ok" Severus reassured her. Inside, he found it really funny. "My first name is Severus."

"Severus?" Lily repeated.

"It's Latin." he added hastily. "That's a very old language. Muggles don't speak it anymore. But wizards do! Spells are in Latin too'

"Oh. My name is Lily, Lily Evans. See you later then, Severus!" Lily said cheerfully, turned around and waved goodbye as she walked away.

Severus watched her. Lily Evans, he repeated in his mind. She was so nice. Lily Evans was the nicest person he had ever met.

* * *

><p>When he came home, Eileen was grabbing her hand with a pained expression.<p>

"Mum! What's wrong?" Severus shouted, although he already had an idea what had happened.

"It was Tobias again" Eileen spat on the ground. "Don't worry, it are just two bruised fingers." With her uninjured hand, she grabbed her wand out of her pocket and pointed at them. There was a quick flash of light and she shaked her hand as if she was shaking off a stubborn fly. Then, she folded her skinny arms over each other and looked at Severus.

"So she's Muggle-born, then? Your new friend?" Eileen asked.

"How...How do you know?!" Severus cried out resentfully.

Eileen looked smug. "I overheard" she said.

Severus did not know whether to be angry or not. "Can Lily borrow a few magical books?" he asked.

"What does that spoilt wretch need my books for? Can't she buy them herself?" Eileen answered angrily.

"Lily's a Muggle-born." Severus reminded her in a compelling voice.

"Ok, whatever. Just get as much of those ruined shreds outta my room."

"Er... thanks." Severus said.

Eileen grinned. "You never thank me! Thanks for thanking me!" she said. Severus got a warm feeling inside and thought that maybe he had to note somewhere all the times Eileen smiled at him with the date.

Then there was a loud BANG! of a door slammed shut that meant that Tobias had returned from whetever he had been doing.

Eileens face brightened again. "Did you have a good day at the pub, sweetiepie?" she tried.

Tobias did not even notice her as he staggered into the room. "Di' you buy me anythin' to drink?"

Eileen walked towards the kitchen, pulled open the fridge and thew a can of beer towards Tobias' head. There was a loud PLONK! as the can of beer hit his temple and bounced off it perfectly.

"YOU GOO' FO' NOTHIN' USELESS INEFFECTIVE POINTLESS WOR'LESS IDLE WASTE!" Tobias shouted, and threw himself on Eileen.

"DON'T _TOUCH _ME, YOU BASTARD!" she screeched.

Severus quickly ran upstairs and went in Eileens room, trying to block the sound of their argueing with his hands pressed firmly against his ears. He needed one hand however to pick his chosen books-

"Meaannn shiitfaaccceddd-"

Hastily, Severus collected the two books he wanted: A History of Magic and Magic is Might. Then he ran down the small stairs, holding the books in his right hand and with his left hand firmly pressed against his left ear he left the house unnoticed and headed towards Lily's house. It was dark outside, so every house looked even more the same. He was about to give up when he saw an elderly woman walking her two long-haired dogs.

"Excuse me, madam' he mumbled. 'Do you know where the Evans family lives?"

She examined him. "They live at the end of the next street, dear. My, you need a haircut!"

Severus ignored her last sentence, because Tobias had already used the five pounds to get more beer. "Thanks" he hastily said, although it sounded like he thanked her for telling him he needed a haircut, and ran towards the direction the old lady had pointed at. He had never been as happy and relieved at once when he found the house and carefully put the books in the mailbox of the Evanses. Before anyone could see him, he ran away.

* * *

><p>Severus stood in front of the meticuously well-kempt garden of the Evanses again, but this time in broad daylight. He was still wearing his fathers' coat, the smock and the jeans- Eileen still hadn't washed any of his clothes.<p>

"So, have you read them? My mum' s books?"

"Yes!" Lily answered excitedly. "I can' t believe the photos in them actually moved! And it was like - like the books reacted to my thoughts, showing me what I wanted to read... Oh, I'm sooo happy that you took the trouble to lent me them."

Severus felt his cheeks getting warm.

"I just loved to read about magic in the Middle Ages, and the history of the Ministry of Magic and the Statute of Security." Lily said. "It' s so funny that Muggles can' t see half of the things we can, isn' t it? But the other book was a bit... weird."

"What'd you mean, weird?" Severus protested. _Magic is Might_ was one of his favorite books.

"Dark". Lily said, and it looked like she shivered.

"Dark? Come on, Lily, there's nothing dark about it." Severus said helplessly.

Lily stared at the ground. "I'm sorry. Maybe you are right, Sev."

Sev. No one had ever shortened his name before. Severus thought it sounded better than his given name. He grinned so broadly that tears formed in his eyes.

"Sev? Are you alright?" Lily asked.

"Yes, I'm..." More than fine, he thought. No-one had ever asked him a question in a concerned voice. "Totally, perfectly alright."  
>Then he paid more attention to her own face.<br>She had somewhat dark circles under her eyes.

"Are _you _alright?" he asked.

"Well..." Lily swallowed audibly. "I...I have not been able to sleep yesterday night."

"Why not?" Severus asked, and for the first time in his life he felt concerned back for someone else.

"In that second book, _Magic is Might_... I saw moving pictures of those terrible creatures." Lily told him, and she looked scared only remembering it.  
>"They suck your soul out of your body. And now, I'm afraid they will come for me one day! Or my family!"<p>

"You mean Dementors?" Severus asked.

"Yes, I-I think so." Lily shuddered.

"You don't have to be afraid of them" Severus reassured her. "They live on a fortress far away from here..."

"Oh! So they can't come here" Lily looked really relieved. "Shall we go to the park?"

"Sure!" Severus said. They walked towards the park and he had never seen such breathtaking nature before. The lawn was so big it was overwhelming, and surrounded by tall trees, now and then interrupted by bushes. In the distance he saw a lake and the other part of the river - the nice, clean side.

"Where shall we sit?" Lily wanted to know.

On the green field, lots of people were sitting in the grass chatting or sunbathing. Some were walking their dogs or standing in groups, laughing.  
>Severus had an aversion to places with lots of people and had his eyes set on a small field of grass behind a thicket of trees, near the at it, he said: "Let's go there".<p>

"Why so far from the others?" Lily asked.

"Because... Because it is secret. Muggles may not see us practising magic!" he whispered. That was not a lie.

"Oh, of course, I forgot." Lily whispered back. Her whispering gave Severus a feeling of conspiracy that made him feel funny in the stomach.

They sat down between the thicket of trees, cross-legged. The hotness of the burning sun made place for the coolness of shadow, but Severus decided he could finally take off his coat. Lily would not ridicule him. And she didn't.

"Why do I only learn to practise magic when I'm eleven?" Lily asked. "Why not when I was younger?"

There was nothing about that in books. Severus thought about it for a while.

"I'm not sure." he eventually said. "Every young witch or wizard has such magical outbursts... But they can't control their magic yet. So it would be of no use learning it to them until they are old enough to understand how to control their magic. It is difficult, you know. That is why you also aren't allowed to use magic outside of Hogwarts. Of course, they can not always catch you, but things can go horribly wrong and the Ministry can punish you when you do magic out of school, you get letters."

"But I _have_ done magic outside of school!"

"We're alright. We haven't got wands yet. They let you off when you're a kid and you can't help it. But once you're eleven" Severus decided to nod importantly, "and they start training you, then you've got to go careful."

He stayed silent for a little while to give his words even more expressiveness. While he was silent Lily had picked up a fallen twig as if it was a wand. She twirled it in the air as if sparks were trailing from it. Then she suddenly dropped the twig and leaned towards him.

"It _is_ real, isn't it? It's not a joke? Petunia says you're lying to me. Petunia says there isn't a Hogwarts. It _is_ real, isn't it?"

"It's real for us" Severus replied. "Not for her. But we'll get the letter, you and me."

"Really?" whispered Lily.

"Definitely" Severus said with a determined nonchalance. She would see in time that he hadn't been lying, not even one word.

"And will it really come by owl?" Lily whispered.

"Normally." Severus said. "But you're Muggle-born, so someone from the school will have to come and explain to your parents."

"Does it make a difference, being Muggle-born?" Lily asked.

Severus looked up. Of course being Muggle-born made a difference for most witches and wizards. Usually, nothing good came out of Muggle spawn. That was what Eileen always said, even though she married Tobias, and Severus thought she was right.  
>But did it also make a difference in Lily's case?<br>He examined her face again, that beautiful- he tried his hardest not to blush again- that beautiful, lily-white face with the sunny freckles, big almond-shaped eyes, curled mouth and the soft dark-red hair surrounding it. Almost automatically he heard himself say:

"No. It does not make a difference."

And he knew he had said the right thing, because Lily relaxed as if she had somehow been tense all the time, and said: "Good."

"You've got loads of magic." he admitted. "I saw that. All the time I was watching you..."

Lily had stretched out on the leafy ground and looked up at the canopy of leaves overhead. She did not seem to be listening to him anymore, and Severus couldn't blame her: she probably knew that she had loads of magic herself. It gave him an opportunity to steal a quick, or maybe not so quick, glance at her; he drank up the contours of her face again, the hair, the eyes, the dress, the - pale, bare arms and legs...

"How are things at your house?" Lily disturbed his moment of peace.

He suddenly felt ice-cold. Of all the things she could have asked him...

"Fine." he lied.

"They're not arguing anymore?"

"Oh yes, they're arguing." Severus suddenly realized he had apparently picked up some leaves and was now tearing them to shreds.

"But it won't be that long and I'll be gone." he said, imagining Hogwarts in his mind while he felt himself relax.

"Doesn't your dad like magic?" It felt as another sting.

"He doesn't like anything, much," Severus replied, hoping she'd shut up about his useless dad already.

Fortunately, she did. "Severus?" she asked in a way he knew she had already changed subjects in her mind. He would be going to repeat her saying his name all the time in his head - it sounded so sweet, and...

"Yeah?" he encouraged her.

"Tell me about the dementors again."

The question surprised him. "What d'you want to know about them for?"

"If I use magic outside school – " Lily asked, a little bit fearful again.

Poor Lily, Severus thought. So she was still afraid. "They wouldn't give you to the dementors for that!" he said, loudly and quickly. "Dementors are for people who do really bad stuff. They guard the wizard prison, Azkaban. You're not going to end up in Azkaban, you're too – "  
>Too nice. Too... lovely. He swore to himself that he would forever protect her from everything bad. Severus was glad he had managed to shut his mouth at the right moment. He quickly shredded more leaves to distract from the fact that his cheeks were suddenly feeling warmer than ever.<p>

Severus was also glad when they heard a rustling sound behind him, until he heard Lily say: "Tuney!" in welcoming surprise.

_Tuney_. He quickly got to his feet and turned around. Petunia had been standing behind a tree, but had lost her footing. Served her right! Severus did not understand how Lily was _happy _that Petunia was here. What if he had actually said what he was thinking and that nasty Muggle had heard it? He wanted to tell Petunia to sod off, but then he would lose too much points from Lily.

"Who's spying now?" he shouted instead. "What d'you want?"

Petunia looked at him breathless, alarmed at being caught.

"What is that you're wearing, anyway?" she said, pointing at Severus' chest. "Your mum's blouse?"

Severus felt the same anger boil inside of him as on the playground, but now ten times as strong. Like that evil brat had the right to insult him, like she was a looker herself, she deserved that one of these tree branches above her would snap and hit her right-

There was a _crack_. A branch over Petunia's head had fallen. Lily screamed. It was an horrible sound. The branch caught Petunia on the shoulder, and she staggered backward and burst into tears. It did not sound so great as Severus had imagined.

"Tuney!" Lily shouted desperately. But Petunia was running away.

Lily rounded on Severus. "Did you make that happen?" she asked.

"No." he said, because he had not _really_ meant to make it happen, or at least, he hadn't enjoyed it like he thought he would.

"You did!" Lily screamed, and backed away from him like he was something to be scared of, just like Tuney had did at the playground.  
>"You <em>did<em>! You hurt her!"

"No - No, I didn't!" Severus lied desperately. But Lily didn't buy it. She send him a burning look that pierced right through his soul, and ran off towards her sister.

Severus did not understand why Lily didn't believe him. Sure she had sometimes performed accidental magic herself? What was any different about this?  
>Feeling miserable, he started walking towards Spinner's End. This time, he did not do anything to stop the tear running down his cheek.<p> 


	5. BLACKBURN'S HOUSE CLEANING SERVICE

Severus was fed up. He had no money, yet he wanted to buy something nice for Lily, like flowers, to make up for the fact that he had hurt Petunia. He tried to walk nonchalantly through the streets, meanwhile peeking in every garden in search for flowers that he thought were lilies. It did not take long before he saw some very pretty examples, large white-purple flowers with big pistils. They looked like they were made for Lily.  
>Severus picked them, and he was very relieved when no one noticed it.<p>

Then, he suddenly noticed something else, something unexpected. As soon as he had picked the flowers, they had started to emit a faint blue glow. It made them look truly magical. Fascinated, he examined the flowers closely. His eyes had not deceived him. The flowers _really _glowed. He could not wait to see Lily's look when he gave them. When she opened the door, her mouth was pressed together in anger. However, when Severus showed her the flowers, she was not able to keep up her act. A smile broke through on her face. Severus was satisfied. He had walked all the way to see Lily smile.

"Just for you" he said, handing the lilies over to Lily. "I am sorry I have hurt your sister" he added unsincerely. He could not manage to say Petunia's name.

"Sev, how can they.. how can they glow like that?" Lily asked breathless, unable to stop looking at the flowers. Severus did not know that himself, either.

"I don't kn.."

"Lily, who is that?" A pretty woman walked into the hall. She had the same green eyes as Lily, although her hair was light brown.

"Severus Snape" Lily said happily, facing her. "Look what he has given me!"

"I have never seen such flowers before!" Lily's mom said, sounding astonished. She looked at Severus as if she found him even more interesting and he had the uneasy feeling that he was studied like a weird animal in the zoo. He straightened himself a little and tried to look as polite as he could possibly muster.

"There is a flower store in Manchester that imports them from ... a faraway country" Severus lied. "They are glowing because of the uranium". He had seen on their old black and white television that uranium made things glow.

"You took so much trouble! And they must have been so expensive!" Lily's mum cried out and her face suddenly got a warm expression. "That was very nice of you, Sev... Severus."

He beamed at her. "Are we still friends again?" he asked Lily uncertainly.

"Yes," Lily answered, "of course. We are best friends!" Then she suddenly leaned forward and hugged him.

Severus usually hated hugging. He could not remember ever being hugged, but from what he had seen, it looked dreadful. However, with Lily, everything was different. She was warm and soft and...

Petunia had came into the hall and seemed one moment to be looking avidly at the flowers, then stared at Severus with a murderous expression. Severus did not look away; he answered her glare with an even more intense one until Petunia finally looked away and angrily stamped back into the livingroom. It did, however, interrupt the embrace.

"Tuney?" Lily called. "I think I heard her footsteps! Have you seen her?"

"Yeah, she - suddenly walked away. I don't know why." Severus lied.

He expected Lily to go after Petunia, but to his joy she just shrugged indifferently instead. "Do you want to see my house?"

There was nothing Severus wanted more that moment, but he tried to say as nonchalantly as possible "Yeah, I'd like to."

When they walked into the bright, cosy livingroom adorned with all sorts of flowers, lace and sculptures, Lily sat down on their soft-looking couch. Severus hesitated at first, but Lily encouraged him by patting next to her.

Mrs. Evans stood in the kitchen, making tea, and Petunia leaned against the wall next to her.

"...I can't believe you let that creep into our house, giving Lily these unknown, maybe even poisonous flowers..." she whispered. Severus tried not to listen to it, but his provoked curiosity got the best of him.

To his relief, he heard mrs. Evans answer "That is not a nice thing to say, Petunia."

Severus smirked. Lily, oblivious to the conversation, asked: "What's so funny?"

"Nothing" he said quickly. After a few seconds mrs. Evans came into the living room with a tray full of teacups.

"Do you want milk and or sugar in your tea, Severus?" she asked.

"Er... yes, both please" he said as he eagerly grabbed two cookies from the jar mrs. Evans presented him.

"I think he hasn't even gotten any breakfast!" Petunia said, happy that she had again found an insult that hit home. Severus had to do his best to restrain himself. When he didn't take the bait, Petunia went on:"Why are you friends with my sister in the first place, Snape? Couldn't find friends among your own gender?"

This time however Lily had heard her. "Shut up, Tuney." she said, and took a bite from one of her cookies. She had taken two as well.

"Shawll be waws tv?"

"Lily, do not speak with your mouth full!" Mrs. Evans condemned her.

They watched a lot of sciencefiction series episodes until mr. Evans came home. Mr. Evans was a tall man with pale skin, black hair and greenish blue eyes. He walked towards Severus with a suitcase in his hand and stuck out his other one. "Hello, you must be Lily's wizard friend, I assume?" he asked.

Severus shook the hand of Lily's father and felt himself getting warm inside hearing these words. 'Yes, I am. I'm Severus... Snape." he said.

Mr. Evans' eyebrows twitched in surprise, but quickly lowered again and he did not comment on either part of Severus' name. "Nice to meet you, mr. Snape." he said. "Do you want to join us for dinner?"

Severus immediately liked mr. Evans even though he was a Muggle who obviously didn't have a clue about magic. "Yes, I'd love to, thanks" he mumbled.

"Daddy!" Petunia whinged. "Why did you invite him for dinner?"

"Tuney, this young man here is Lily's friend" Mr. Evans retorted.

"So I don't even have a _say_ in things anymore?" Petunia asked in a feigned sad, misunderstood voice. Severus hated her.

"I'm afraid not this time, Tuney dear. I'm sorry." Mr. Evans said unyieldingly.

Petunia immediately ran upstairs, crying exaggerated tears.

"I'm sorry." Lily said softly to Severus. "Mum says Petunia has these outbursts lately because she is a teenager. I hope they will pass."

"Me too" Severus said grimly, and tried not to squeeze his teacup so hard that it would break.

* * *

><p>Mrs. Evans had set the table with a neat plaid tablecloth, a vase with flowers in the middle and clean, shiny plates and utensils. Severus had never seen such clean cutlery before. Petunia had not returned for dinner, despite mrs. Evans' several desperate pleas. They ate Shepherd's pie and Severus thought it tasted great.<p>

"So Lily told me you two could do magic" Mr. Evans said. He had an amused twinkle in his eyes.

"Yes, we can!" Lily said excitedly. "But _real _magic. Not conjuring tricks."

"What's the difference?" Mr. Evans asked.

"You'll see." Lily said. "Watch."

"Don't leave the table until you're finished!" Mrs. Evans commanded, but Lily was already gone. She came back with the same twig that she had twirled in the air back at the park. Severus knew it was the same, because it was broken and bumpy in exact the same way. He wondered if Lily had later returned to the place to pick up the twig.

Lily waved with it in an exaggerated way, obviously enjoying the attention. Then, a trail of purple sparks spouted out of the tip of the twig.  
>Severus stared at it, bedazzled. How did she just <em>do <em>that?! It did not look as random as the rest... He could not help but struggle between admiration and envy.

Mrs. Evans took a big gulp of air in astonishment, and mr. Evans looked equally as startled. They had both completely forgotten their shephard pies.

"It's nothing to be scared of!" Lily said happily. "I'm a Muggle-born witch. And in the summer I turn eleven, I will get an invitation for Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. Don't worry, there will come an older wizard or witch to our house to explain everything to you..."

Lily's parents both just stared at them with blank expressions for what seemed about a quarter of a hour.

"Mum, dad, are you alright?!" Lily shouted desperately. "Please! Say something! MUM! DAD!"

Mr. Evans was the first to return from his statue-like state.

"A school? Does that mean... you can have an actual _career_ as a witch?"

Lily nodded eagerly. "Hundreds of different careers!" she said proudly. "Right, Sev?"

"Yeah." Severus said. "You can become a Healer at St. Mungos Hospital, work at the Ministry of Magic, become a dragon caretaker, or.."

Mr. Evans frowned. "A- a 'healer'..." he begun, "is that something like... like a nurse?"

Severus nodded.

"And so you have an.. an actual Ministry, just like.. Just like regular people?"

Severus nodded again. "My mum used to have a side job there."

Mr. Evans still looked at him, still in disbelief. "Can we talk to your mum sometime?"

"I...I don't know" Severus said. "I will ask her." He very much doubted it.

Mrs. Evans suddenly shook her head. "Lily dear, promise me you aren't going to become a dragon caretaker!"

Lily smirked. "I won't!" she said. "Does that mean... Does that mean that I'm allowed to go?"

Her father still shook his head. "We'll see that when you get that letter, sweetheart."

But Severus could tell he still did not believe in the letter at all.

* * *

><p><em>ONE YEAR LATER - July 11th, 1971<br>_

* * *

><p>On this summer day, at which the sun shined the brightest it got that year in Great Britain, a beautiful day in the rest of Cokeworth and a stuffy, smelly day at Spinner's End, Tobias Snape was woken by a strange bang on their unhinged door. Furious that somebody or something had dared to interrupt his 24-hour sleep, he stumbled towards the door before Severus could. Tobias cursed when the only thing he saw was an advertisement handout. He shook his large fist to the abandoned houses.<p>

"Bloody swin'lah! If I caff ya, I'll break ya neck!" he bellowed loudly and spat on the ground.

Eileen walked into the livingroom, pushed him aside and immediately grabbed the leaflet as if it was something valuable.

"Wa' ya doin?" Tobias exclaimed. "Gimme tha' back, in tha' trash, tha whe'e it belongs!"

"NO!" Eileen screeched, holding it to her chest.

"A'e you mental? Is some nasty adve'tisemen' fo' some 'ousecleanin' se'vice tha costs a bleedin' bomb" Tobias slurred, grabbed back the leaflet and read out loud:

_BLACKBURNS HOUSE CLEANING SERVICE_

_ Dear Mr. Snape. In case your job doesn't allow the time to properly clean your house, let us offer our help! For just eighty pounds, we'll make your little palace all spotless, shiny and sparkly again, free of mouse, cockroaches and other vermin._

"Jus' eiffy bucks! Can clean mah arse!''

But then Severus saw that the 'leaflet' was, in fact, a large antique-white colored envelope with his name written on it in beautiful calligraphy.  
>Eileen handed it to him and Severus swallowed at the sight of someone having written his name so carefully. He shrieked but then smiled as suddenly an owl flew over his head, a beautiful, silvery specimen, that eventually knocked several letters from the table as it landed there. Eileen was not even angry, even though there was nothing she loathed more than having to do the household. Severus didn't cheer or yell, but inside of him it was a turmoil of emotion. Suddenly happiness did not feel so strange to him anymore. In fact, he was almost bursting with it.<p>

"Open your letter!" Eileen encouraged him, sounding almost as happy as himself. It was the first time Severus had heard Eileen sound truly happy.

When Severus took the piece of parchment out of the envelope, Tobias was able to see it as well along with the owl - and he looked like he was about to faint.

"Where does tha' 'orrible creatu'e come from?!" he shouted.

Severus read aloud:

"HOGWARTS SCHOOL _of_ WITCHCRAFT _and_ WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

_(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,  
>Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)<em>

Dear Mr. Snape,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress"

A tear from happiness rolled down Eileens cheek. Tobias, who had been trying to chase away the owl with loud "_KSSSH_" sounds, and miserably failed because the owl had decided to sit on his shoulder instead, had lowered himself on the couch again and stared in the distance as if he had surrendered himself out of misery.

"So what do you need? Has the list with provisions changed?" Eileen asked.

Severus looked at the enclosed list. He had to buy himself an uniform that consisted out of 'Three sets of plain work robes (black)', 'one plain pointed hat (black) for day wear', 'one pair of protective gloves ( dragon hide or similar)' and 'one winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)'.  
>He was pleasantly surprised when he discovered that most of the required books had not changed and were already in his, or Eileen's, posession, except for <em>One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi<em> by Phyllida Spore and _Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them_ by Newt Scamander. In the past year, he had lent Lily almost all Eileen's books, so she would be relieved as well, he thought.  
>Other enquipment he needed was a wand (naturally), a cauldron, a set glass or crystal phials, a telescope and a set of brass scales.<br>Hogwarts students were indeed allowed to bring an animal with them - the list said it could be either an owl, cat or toad. Broomsticks were strictly forbidden, according to the Chief Attendent of Witchcraft Provisions, Theodora Cantamina. Eileen was reassured that apparently, the list had only changed slightly.

"But..." Severus suddenly realized. "I have no money!"A deep, bitter disappointment poured down on him.

Tobias' eyes suddenly flew open when he heard the word money.

"LIS'EN, SON!" he bellowed. "I WILL NO' LEN' YOU ANY QUID FOR THA' STUPI' MAGIC SCHOOL O' YOURS! GE' I'?!" The owl did not move one bit during his outburst.

"Don't listen to him" Eileen scoffed. "I still have some galleons in Gringotts - for these kind of occasions..."

Tobias, who did not have a clue what Gringotts was but realized that galleons were some type of money, screamed furiously: "SO ALL THIS TIME WE 'AD MONEH.. AND YOU NEVAH TOLD ME ABOU' I'?!'!'

At first Eileen automatically cowered, then she said disdainfully: "It's _wizarding money_, Tobias. But I can ask Severus if he will bring some Knuts and Sickles for you to spend at the local pub."

Severus, who knew as well as Eileen that Gringotts also exchanged for Muggle money, did not say anything. Eileen smirked at him.

She hurried upstairs and the stairs creaked. Not much later she came back with a heavy bronze key that she pushed in Severus' hand. "This is the key from my vault, vault two-hundred and one - there's not much in it, but sure enough for school supplies..."

"Thanks, mum" Severus said. He put the key in the pocket of his jeans and carefully buttoned it up. It was a weird feeling to suddenly have money. Even if there turned out to be only one Knut in his mothers vault, it made him richer than he had ever been.

"Are you coming along with me to Diagon Alley for my Hogwarts stuff?" he wanted to know. Tobias had started watching a documentary about mill workers going on a strike, on their old black and white tv, with dazed eyes.

Eileen suddenly looked very tired. "No." she replied. "I'm sorry..But your Muggle friend's parents will bring you to London with her, I'm sure" She made a slightly disgusted face.

* * *

><p>"Lily!" Severus banged on the kitchen window of the family Evans.<p>

It was morning, and Lily was still in her pajamas when she opened the door sleepily.

"Yes?" she yawned, but then she saw the letter in Severus' hand.

'_IT IS THE LETTER!" _she shouted, full of joy. '_IT IS FINALLY HERE!"_

She made a little dance outside, in her pajamas, grabbing Severus' hand to make him join her, twirling around until mr. Johnson, Lily's grumpy old neighbor, loudly cleared his throat.

"Come inside, I want to read it! Ooh, I'm sooo curious!" Lily looked as if she had just heard that she had won a million pounds.

"So you can really attend Hogwarts?" she asked, knowing that Severus had been fretting how he would get the money for it.

"Yeah... Me mum has some money in Gringotts!" Severus said excitedly.

"That is great!" Lily said.

"You haven't received a letter yourself yet?" Severus asked her.

"No" Lily's expression of extreme joy now suddenly turned into an expression of extreme disappointment.

Severus got a bit worried as well. Shouldn't a professor already have visited her?

When they sat on the couch, Lily's eyes glided over Severus' letter. Her initial happiness seemed to have disappeared and there was only a faint smile left.

"Don't worry, Lily" Severus tried to cheer her up. "The professor will come. Just that it isn't today, doesn't mean..."

But Lily was not listening to him anymore. "Sev, could you please go?" she asked in a constricted voice. "I-I think I want to be alone.."

Severus send her one last sympathetic look and left. Instead of going home, he went to the playground where he had met Lily. He sat down on the swing, motionlessly. He did not know how long he had sit there, but when the evening was setting in, he stood up and decided to go home.

"Excuse me, young sir.."

Severus turned around to see who had talked to him. It was a man with longish, unkempt brown hair and harsh lines in his face as if he had been doing heavy work for ages. He was stroking a dull-colored cat that laid purring in his arms.

"Who - who are you?" Severus asked, surprised.

"My name is Argus Filch." the young man said, "and I work at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry".

"Are you a wizard?" Severus asked breathlessly.

"Don't be a smart mouth with me, you little worm" Argus Filch hissed in a sudden defiant manner. His cat kept purring and the yellow eyes now looked straight at Severus.

"What- what do you mean?" Severus cowered and looked at the ground.

"_No, _I am _not _a wizard. I'm a Squib. Are you happy now?" Argus spat.

Severus looked up. "Why should I be happy about that?" he asked angrily, trying to hide his disappointment. "I don't give a rat's ass whether you are a wizard or a Squib. Whatd'you want from me?"

Argus face suddenly brightened. "Do you _mean _that?" he wanted to know. "Do you _really _don't care?"

Severus decided it would be for the best if he said he didn't, so he did. He was curious what this strange Hogwarts employee wanted from him, and also a bit frightened. What if Argus was going to tell him that his letter had been a mistake, after all?

"No, why should I" he admitted miserably. "My best friend hasn't gotten a letter from Hogwarts, and that's all I care about".

"Is your friend called Lily Evans?" Argus asked, suddenly alarmed.

"Yes" Severus said, his heart beating rapidly. "Why?"

"Because - O Mrs. Norris, we're late!" Argus suddenly cried out. "Miss Lily Evans and her parents have already been expecting us..."

He was eventually able to tear away his gaze from his cat and looked at Severus again. "Can you show me where your friend lives?"

* * *

><p>"So, did you finally got the letter?" Severus asked Lily.<p>

She grinned brightly. "Yes!" she said. "It was a real struggle to convince my parents. A man came to my house, Argus Filch, and my parents asked if he was a wizard. He told them that he was a Squib, and of course they didn't know what it meant..." She took a deep breath. "To be honest, I didn't either, but he told me that he was a non-magical person from magical parents. Isn't that sad, Severus?"

Severus nodded, but was impatient to hear the rest.

"Anyway, Argus told my parents that he was the Hogwarts caretaker, and that unlike other magical schools, Hogwarts still had decent punisment. He told my parents that as long as he was caretaker, they needn't fear that I did something that was against the magical laws and he that he wasn't a wuss like Appolyon Pringle who had not even dared to brand children..."

Severus held his breath in shock.

"My parents told Argus that she weren't planning to let me go to a school like _that, _and then Argus' cat clawed at my mother and my father wanted to hit Argus and chased after him - but then, suddenly, another man appeared... He looked old, with very long white-gray hair, a long moustache and beard.. He had very bright light-blue eyes and half moon glasses. He apologized to my parents, he admitted that it had been a bad decision to send Argus... He told them that Argus was jealous at people who could perform magic, but that the punishments he listed weren't even allowed on Hogwarts.

"My parents asked who the man was, and he answered that he was called Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. They seemed already impressed by his name, I believe, but then he told us that he had been Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, Surpreme Mugwump and was now Headmaster of Hogwarts. My parents of course hadn't got a clue what these titles were, so I explained them, and my parents did not believe me or Dumbledore at first. But Dumbledore was so friendly! He kept apologizing for Argus Filch, and reassuring my parents that every form of torture on Hogwarts was strictly illegitimate and could lead to staff being fired or students being expelled. And because my parents _still _didn't believe in magic, he Conjured a vase with flowers for them"

Lily took a big gulp of air, as she had told all of this very quickly with hardly any pause. She had red blotches on her face from excitement.

"Listen Lily, I _did not know_ that Argus Filch was... like this!" Severus apologized.

Lily looked at him confused. "Of course you didn't!" she said.

But Severus told her how he had meet Argus and how the Squib had seemed normal at first, apart from his fixation on his cat.

"His cat used to be human!" Lily said, "Dumbledore told me. She was Argus' Muggle wife and some students had cursed her. Now she will remain a cat until she dies!" Lily started to cry.

"At least they will always stay together" Severus said as gently as he could manage.

"Yes..." Lily said.

"We should go to Diagon Alley together" Severus suggested.

"Yes! I can't wait to get all my supplies! And I'm still doubting which animal I should take" Lily said enthousiastically. "My parents have told me I could get any of the three animals, but I think an owl will come in handy. What one do you want?"

"I'm still doubting between an owl and a toad." Severus said. "When can we go?"

"This saturday would be good with my parents." Lily answered.

Severus could not wait.

* * *

><p><em>He's my best friend, best of all best friends...<em>_ok._


	6. AT DIAGON ALLEY

From the backseat of the Evanses car, Severus gazed curiously through the window at the tall buildings, the Tower Bridge and Big Ben. He had only seen them on tv.

"Where is that magical pub exactly?" Mr. Evans asked Lily.

"Charing Cross Road" she answered, her voice high-pitched.

After driving in the wrong direction ten times, Mr. Evans parked his Chevrolet in a covered car park in a dark, old street and from there they walked towards their destination.

"We will go shopping in London and you can call us when you have both got all your supplies." Mrs. Evans said happily, like she was as enthousiastic about the whole thing as they were themselves.

Lily nodded. She was not her usual self; she seemed unable to talk. Severus wanted to reassure her that everything was going to be alright, but for some reason, he didn't do it.

"Here - here it is." Lily said softly when they had arrived at the Leaky Cauldron. Mr. and mrs. Evans looked quite bewildered and stared at the Leaky Cauldron as if they saw something completely different than them. Severus would have loved to know what The Leaky Cauldron was disguised as, but he did not dare to ask.

Mrs. Evans gave Lily two bills of a hundred pounds each. "Is this enough?" she asked, now almost as nervous as her daughter.

"Thank you, mum" Lily said and kissed her mother on the cheek. She stared at it as if she had never seen as much money in her whole life, and Severus, who, of course, hadn't either, tried to avert his own gaze until Lily carefully put the money away deep down in her small black purse.  
>Lily's mother hugged her and her father waved her goodbye as Severus and Lily opened the old door of The Leaky Cauldron.<p>

"Good evening, children" murmured a voice. Severus saw a bald and odd-looking wizard standing behind a bar. He had almost no teeth left and his mouth was wrinkled. The rest of the pub was dark and empty; apparently this was not the right visiting hour.

"What can I get for you and at which percentage? Ho hum, run-off-the-mill or plastered?"

"We are... looking for Diagon Alley" Lily said uncertainly.

"Ah! New Hogwarts students, I never get any money from them, but they bring some youth to the atmosphere" Tom murmured more towards himself than towards Severus and Lily. He led the way towards the back door of the pub that led to a small courtyard that looked badly maintained and was closed off from the rest of the world by a brick wall. Tom walked straight towards the wall and then touched a certain brick. Immediately the bricks shoved aside and changed the solid wall into a huge archway.

"There you go. Don't forget to come back to buy some firewhiskey!" Tom said.

"Thanks for your help" Lily said gently and she and Severus walked into the busy street.

It was a street like no other. It looked ancient and modern at the same time, stuffed with all sorts of shops, and just from looking at them without even reading the signs or checking out the windows you saw that they couldn't possibly be Muggle shops. Almost all the people at Diagon Alley wore robes, and Severus felt awfully out of place already, only this time it had nothing to do with the age of his clothes or the length of his hair. He could not wait to get a pair of robes of his own.  
>Eagerly he glanced at Lily. She seemed completely bedazzled by everything; Severus grabbed her warm hand.<p>

"Let's go get our wizarding money." he said. Lily nodded, but she still kept looking around and walked as slowly as possible towards the direction Severus was heading. Eileen had told him how he needed to walk to find Gringotts. Finally, a beautiful, formal looking white building rose up against the sky.

"Look at these creatures! They're goblins, right?" Lily whispered in Severus' ear. Severus followed her gaze, lingering on a strange short creature that might have looked humanly if it wasn't for his pointed ears, long fingers and tiny beady eyes, and nodded. The goblins seemed to take their duty of protecting Gringotts very seriously, although they nodded in an almost friendly manner when they passed them.  
>Inside was a second, shiny door, that looked like it was made from the purest silver. Both Severus and Lily stared humbly at it.<br>It carried an inscription:

_Enter, stranger, but take heed  
><em>  
><em>Of what awaits the sin of greed,<em>  
><em><br>For those who take, but do not earn,_  
><em><br>Must pay most dearly in their turn._  
><em><br>So if you seek beneath our floors_  
><em><br>A treasure that was never yours,_  
><em><br>Thief, you have been warned, beware_  
><em><br>Of finding more than treasure there_

"It's a poem!" Severus said, feeling a tingle of uneasiness as well as enchantment after reading it. It was almost as if mere words carried a whole different form of magic themselves. But Lily did not pay any attention to it; she had already opened the silver door. The scene at Gringotts was exactly as Severus knew it from his books. There was marble, marble all around, and a very long counter behind lots and lots of goblins were sitting, doing the most curious things such as examining diamonds through a magnifying glass. One threw a hand of silver coins against the wall, making all the others look up.

"Rubbish. Fake silver!" he exclaimed furiously.

Lily had walked towards a goblin staring uselessly in the distance.

"Uhm, sir..."

The goblin did not say anything back. After a while, one of his colleagues came to assistent Lily, peering at her from under round glasses.

"My apologies, Hobzilch is deaf and blind" he said. "How could I help you, miss?"

"I would.. I would like to exchange my Muggle money." Lily said hesistatingly. "And my friend wants to get some money out of his mothers vault."

"Very well." the goblin said. He pointed with one of his long fingers towards a bronze door with the inscription _Muggle Money Exchange Office. _"You can do so there."

"Thanks!" Lily said quietly and hurried towards the door.

"At your service." the goblin said and turned its head towards Severus. "Your key?" he asked. Severus placed Eileens key on the table; the goblin examined it as if it was counterfeit until its authencity was proven, and then he nodded.

"Griphook!" he called. Not much later, another goblin came walking towards Severus. It had a sly look about him.

"So you are mr. Snape, coming to collect money from Eileen Princes safe?" he asked. Severus nodded.

"Never quite in a sunny mood, she was, Eileen..." Griphook mused. He looked at Severus as if Severus wanted to curse at him. Severus wanted this to be over with soon. Fortunately, Lily just came out of the Muggle Money Exchange Office, with a heavy looking velvet pouch and hurried towards him.

"Who is that?" Griphook asked dissapprovingly.

"That is Lily, my friend" Severus replied icily.

Griphook made another almost unaudible disapproving noise, but opened a bronze door. It led to a torch-illuminated stone passageway, that was dark and gloomy and resembled some kind of mine. On Griphooks orders, a cart came dragging along on a track from the abyss beneath with a loud rattle. Griphook gave Severus and Lily a hard push and they tumbled into the cart. Then he bruskly shoved them aside. While Severus and Lily were awkwardly sitting in the cart with their legs still hanging overboard, it suddenly took a dive downwards and Lily held on to Severus for dear life. While Severus pretended not to be scared and tried to enjoy the moment of being able to hold Lily Evans, he figured that this would be how it felt like when you were on a rollercoaster ride and suddenly the restraints flew open. He thought he heard Griphook mutter something like: "I just love to torment humans", but he wasn't sure if he had heard that correctly.

Eventually, the cart started lowering its speed and stopped. They saw a small door in the dark den. Griphook gesticulated them to get out of the cart, and Severus helped a very white looking Lily out. Griphook opened the door with Eileens key, and lots of colored smoke came out of it.  
>The vault seemed very abandoned, and the money inside was dusted. But Severus did not care for there were lots of piles of gold, silver and bronze... Even Griphook couldn't spoil his day anymore, because he was glad that his mother's money consisted out of more that one Knut. He did not know how much to take with him, so he asked Lily how much she had.<p>

"Finally you ask _me _something!" Lily said. "My parents money translated into..." She counted the coins in her bag, and after a big pause what seemed to be around an hour (making Griphook more impatient with every minute), she finally said, grinning happily: "Thirty-one Galleons, thirty-four Sickles and... if I'm right.. five hundred Knuts!"

Severus also took thirty Galleons and seventeen Sickles as well, but he passed for the exact amount of Knuts, and took around a hundred instead. He put them in his pockets and what didn't fit went in Lily's pouch, who was very heavy right now, so Severus took it over from her. "Thanks" she said.

When they stepped back in the cart, Severus was somewhat disappointed that they managed to sit more confortably now, and the ride up was less exciting than the way down. He was glad when Griphook said them goodbye and they walked out of Gringotts.

"Before we can buy our supplies, we have to get some sort of bag to put everything in" Severus said. Lily agreed. Fortunately, they found a stall selling them.

"Ahem.. Sir, do you sell bags for us to put our Hogwarts supplies in?" Lily asked.

"Bags not, but we do sell trunks...Very handy" the wizard behind the stall, who was clad in an orange robe with blue daisies on it and wore Muggle sunglasses, said.  
>"Which size do you want? Extended by how much inches?"<p>

Lily looked at Severus, who asked: "How much do they cost?"

"Standard, ten inches with a volume of a hundred inches costs twenty Sickles and eighteen Knuts" the wizard said. They both bought one.

"What shall we get first?" Lily asked, unfolding the list of provisions.

"Let's start with our wands!" Severus said, grinning

They walked towards a small shop called Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands sinds 382 B.C, and as Lily opened the door a bell rang. Severus was overwhelmed by the sheer amount of neatly piled up boxes all around, reaching the ceiling. Dust slowly whirled down from the seemingly endless cabinets, visible in the weak ray of sunlight shining through one very small little window. It set the shop in a very odd, almost ethereal light.

A pale old man with white bushy hair came down from narrow winding stairs. The man had a penetrating gaze, with eyes that reminded Severus of his grandmother's, only this man could see. His eyes were only light from age or because they had always been like this, but they were so light it looked very otherworldly and kind of uneasy. The old man inspected them both very intensely, until he said softly: "Welcome, I am Ollivander. You came here to buy a wand, I assume?"

"Yes" Lily said.

"What are your names?" Ollivander wanted to know.

"Lily Evans" Lily said.

"Severus Snape" Severus said.

"Good, good..." Ollivander cleaned up his counter by shoving some pieces of parchment on the ground, then he walked towards Lily.

"Do you have any idea what kind of wand would suit you, miss?" he asked, and came close to her in a very creepy way.

To both Ollivander and Severus' astonishment, Lily got something out of the pocket of her dress. It was, Severus realized with a strange sort satisfaction, the twig she had picked up at _their_ place at the park. Lily held the twig between her and Ollivander like some kind of shield. "I'd like to have a wand made from the same tree as this twig" she said softly.

Ollivander raised his eyes, but he said nothing. He examined the twig. "Ah... Willow. We have quite a few of them here. What is your wand arm?"

"Left, I think" Lily said quite certainly, as she had always held the twig with her left hand.

"Good, stick it out please" Ollivander said and Lily obeyed. Ollivander got a silvery measuring tape out of his pocket and measured Lily's arm and different parts of it, and then walked away as the tape went on measuring almost every other part of Lily's body, leaving Severus wondering what on earth the point of that was.

"Let's look for the length..." Ollivander walked quickly along the cabinets in the room, sometimes pausing to grab a box or make it fly towards him by a snap of his fingers. Then he disappeared into the darkness of the back of his store, and after a few minutes he came back with his arms full of boxes.

"You have to know, miss Lily, that the wand chooses its owner, rather than the other way around" Ollivander said earnestly while opening one of the boxes and hastily dropping the rest on the stairs. "And every wand derives its power from a very magical substance. We have phoenix feathers, dragon heartstrings and unicorn hairs." He grasped a wand out of the box and handed it to Lily.

"Willow and unicorn hair, ten and a half inches, very swishy. Just try it" Ollivander said.

And Lily waved in the air with the wand, and immediately a stream of firework-like sparks came out of it. Lily stared at it in amazement, but held the wand a little further from her body.

"Great! At my first try!" Ollivander said in a very pleased voice. He took the wand from Lily again and examined it.  
>"Yes, very supple, very good for charms... You have an excellent wand here, miss Evans!"<p>

Lily beamed when Ollivander put her wand back in the box and handed it to her. 'That's seven Galleons" he said, and Lily handed them to him.  
>Then Ollivander directed his profound gaze at Severus.<p>

"And now you" he said slowly. "Come further please". Severus obeyed, although somewhat hesistant. Ollivander did not come as close to him as he came to Lily, fortunately. He asked what Severus' wand arm was.

"Right" he said, because he was right, and stuck out his right arm.

Ollivander grabbed the measuring tape from the ground and measured Severus' arm, shoulders, then he walked away in search for a wand, as the tape measured further. Severus scowled when the tape measured his ears. Lily giggled. Quickly, Ollivander came back with a box.

"Try this one" he asked. "Mahogany and phoenix feather, eleven inches, see if it fits you".

Severus waved with the wand shoved in his hand, but nothing happened.

"Ah well... Wrong core. This one is elm and dragon heartstring, nine inches. Very sturdy" Ollivander said, handing him another wand while taking back the other.

Again nothing happened. Ollivander seemed lost in thought and put the wand back in a box that he put on the stairs.

"Maybe you need another kind of wood... a different length..." He searched again. "Try this one, mahogany again, but with dragon heartstring, ten inches.."

Nothing happened. "I know what it is, the length..." Ollivander murmured. "Here. Mahogany and dragon heartstring, eleven inches"

Severus waved with it and he gasped from happiness when dark sparks where spouting out of the tip of the wand. He felt warm and tingly inside and heard Lily clap and cheer. It was a wonderful sound.

"Ah, finally yet quickly!" Ollivander exclaimed. "See, this one and the first may resemble each other at first, but this proves the core makes them like night and day... Night and day... Well, I am glad you found your wand, mr. Snape!" He handed him the box elegantly.

Snape grabbed seven Galleons out of his pocket and put them in Ollivanders wrinkly pale hand. Then Lily and him left the store.

"We have our wands! We have our wands!" Lily repeated excitedly like she still could not believe it.

"Yeah" Severus replied with a heartfelt smile.

"What do we do next?" Lily asked. "Ooh, look at that! Eeylops Owl Imperium!"

"Let's save that for the end" Severus said hastily, "or else we need to take an owl with us in every shop"

Lily looked over her shoulder as they walked further, but silently agreed. They saw a shop called Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions.

"Let's go there" Lily said and then did. The shop was stuffed with cabinets full of folded black cloaks and racks and racks of black robes. There was one special cabinet where robes in all sorts of colors were hanging, and even some very sparkly ones.

"Hello, are you looking for your Hogwarts uniforms?" a witch said in a friendly voice. She was wearing a very unusual robe; it was light green with embroidered silver stars on it.

"Yes... Yes we are!" Lily said.

"Come with me" the witch said and led them to two stools. "I happen to have no customers, so you're lucky. Elspeth!"

Another witch came hurried from the stairs. "Yes, madam Malkin?" she said.

"These two children need to buy their school uniforms. Will you help the boy? Then I'll help this girl"

Elspeth nodded. She instructed Severus to stand on the stool while she got one of the black robes from the shop and put it over his head.

"Hmmm... Yes, this is the right length as far as it goes, but it is also too wide. Skinny, you are... Will need to tuck it in on the sides as well..." She started to take in the bottom as well as the sides. Severus felt uncomfortable. He glanced at Lily, who was helped by madam Malkin's - he could see that a robe was going to look very good on her, but what didn't?

Finally, Elspeth was finished.

"Can I keep it on?" he asked her. Elspeth laughed shrilly, but fortunately very unlike Petunia. "Of course!" she said. Severus paid her five Galleons, ten Sickles and fifteen Knuts.

"Why are you keeping on your robe, Sev?" Lily asked.

"I like it better than my normal clothes" he replied.

They went into the book shop, Flourish and Blotts, which also had cabinets reaching the ceiling, full of all kind of books. They both searched for _One Hundred Magical Herbs and Fungi_ and _Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them_ and then Lily searched for the rest of her schoolbooks while Severus wandered curiously through the shop and browsed through _Nasty Habits of Muggles and How To Cope With Them_ and _Muggle Studies: Are They Really Neccessary? _until Lily was finished. He could have spend a whole day inside, but they had more things to do.

The next shop they entered was Scribbulus Writing Implements. Lily looked in awe at all the beautiful calligraphy on the framed sample texts on the wall. Severus tried to read one, but all it said was "Nil gerrae nuga nuga nil nil nil hariolor".

"That's one of me certificates of quality" the wizard behind the counter said, but it seemed as if he was lying. Severus and Lily both bought a beautiful quill with inkpot and left.

They looked into Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment, which turned out to be a small and very dark, mysterious shop with showcases full of beautiful glass objects shining in the light of candles. Some even glowed by themselves, like the flowers Severus had given Lily. The owner, who must be Wiseacre, was standing behind his dark, wooden counter and examined an ancient looking watch through a telescope. He did not look up as they approached him.

"Do you sell telescopes, brass scales and glass vials here?" Severus asked.

"But of course. Lots of sorts" said Wiseacre. He made a gesture towards all the showcases and was immersed in looking at the watch again.

They both took the cheapest of the telescopes, a beautiful glass vial set that Severus admired adoringly, and a set of fine brass scales.

The visit to the Apothecary was definitely the least pleasant one. While Severus immediately felt home at the sight of all the slimy, dark and sometimes gruesome objects drifting in glass jars, and scary-looking teeth hanging from a rope, he nearly fainted from the stench - it reminded him an awful lot of Gobstones.  
>He could see Lily wrinkle her nose as well. They quickly bought a set of basic ingredients they thought they would need and hurried out of the shop.<p>

They went to Potage's Cauldron shop, that said "Cauldrons - All Sizes, Copper, Brass, Pewter, Silver - Self-Stirring, Collapsible".  
>The shop indeed lived up to its promise. It was chockfull of all kinds of cauldrons, some stacked on top of each other. Severus really wanted to get a collapsible cauldron because it seemed handy, but they needed to get a pewter one in size 2 instead. Fortunately, it wasn't too big to carry, although they looked rather ridiculous and Potage had to get his money (Six galleons and fifteen Sickles) himself. As Potage searched in his pockets, Severus kept a close eye on him, but he turned out to be trustworthy.<p>

"We are almost done. Now, only the pets are left" Lily said with an excited sparkle in her eyes. They walked until they came accross a shop called Magical Menagerie. It looked like a chaos inside, with everywhere owls calling and cats meowing. Severus looked around where the sounds came from, and he saw countless of cages with owls, cats and even strange fluffy creatures that he had never seen before on his left, and on his right, partially covered in shadows, there were lots of glass boxes and terrariums with amphibians in them, such as toads and snakes. He could hear the snakes hissing.  
>Lily looked absolutely enamored.<p>

"These animals are sooooo cute!" she cried out.

"How can I help you?" the witch behind the counter asked.

"I'd like to buy an owl" Lily said impatiently.

"Good choice. Owls are very wise and intelligent animals. They make good friends. We have different types of owls: barn, tawny, snowy..." the witch responded.

Lily looked closely at the different caged owls and then pointed at a multicolored one with round black eyes. "How much does this one cost?" she asked.

"Ten Galleons, including the cage" the shop owner stated. "And with some owl treats and talon clippers it will be ten Galleons and thirteen sickles."

"Fine, I'll take the owl trats and talon clippers too" Lily said. She paid and eagerly took over the cage, softly stroking the owl's feathers.

Severus looked around for himself. He had decided he wanted a toad.

"Lily, would you sent my letters to Eileen for me if I take a toad?" Severus asked.

"Of course, Sev" Lily said and her attention drifted towards her new pet again.

Her answer made Severus happy. "What kind of toad is that?" he asked, pointing at a rather sad-looking brownish green one with spots.

"That is the common toad, it costs five Galleons" the shop owner said. "The terrarium is included"

"Fine" Severus said and handed her five Galleons. Lily and him left the shop.

"What are you going to call your owl?" he asked Lily curiously.

"I have no idea" Lily said. "Let me think... What are you going to call yours?"

"Tuney" Severus said darkly and Lily's mouth twitched into an almost-smile, before she said: "That's not funny, Sev".

"It isn't. It would be a honor. For Petunia." Severus said.  
>"But it is male anyway, so I think I'm going to call him Faustus" he added hastily. He had read about a wizard called Faustus in A history of Magic, and the history of a wizard who used to work as a Muggle scholar before beginning to practise Dark Magic had intrigued him.<p>

"I don't know what to call my owl" Lily said almost desperately. "It is male too."

"Why don't you call him Jude?" Severus suggested. "It's from a song from that Muggle music group my dad likes, The Beatles."

"Your dad likes music?" Lily sounded surprised. "I thought he didn't like anything"

"Well, sometimes he does" Severus added hastily. "But no-one knew except for my mother, Tobias was afraid that his mates would laugh. I just found the records somewhere."

"Alright, I'll call my owl Jude.." Lily said, happy that her owl had a name at last.

They walked back towards the magic wall, back into the Leaky Cauldron. Severus changed into his Muggle clothes again. Tom almost blackmailed them in buying a Firewhiskey, but they managed to shake him off and Lily searched for the point her parents were going to await them.

* * *

><p>"Rejected again..." Tobias said, very annoyed, when he walked into the room. Then, his gazed lingered on Severus.<p>

"An' whe'e 'ave _you _been?!" he asked, his voice raising in volume. Normally, Tobias was too drunk to get angry, but this time he was only half intoxicated.

"To... Diagon Alley with L-Lily." Severus stuttered. He hated the fact that he was still afraid of his father sometimes.

Tobias grabbed Severus by the collar of his faded, oversized t-shirt. "I wish you we'e normal instea' of such a weaklin'." he growled. 'An' wha' is tha' nasty toad? Your new pet?" He laughed mockingly.

Then, he pushed Severus away harshly, and he fell on the ground. When Severus wanted to stand up, Tobias' fist hit him on the eye instead. A dull, throbbing and then sharp pain spread accross his face. He tried his hardest not to sob. Tobias seemed satisfied, because he walked away. Severus was not.

He grabbed his wand out of his trunk and pointed it at Tobias, trying to ignore the pain in his eye, which was probably going to swell and turn black soon.  
>He knew that he wasn't allowed to perform magic, he would never take the risk of being expelled before the schoolyear had even started... But he decided bluffing could do no harm.<p>

"Hurt me again..." he said in a low voice, "hurt me again and I'll hurt _you_!" He pointed the wand at his father and black sparks were coming out of it.

Tobias, who was afraid of magic, stared at it in fear. Eventually, he just said: "Don' be such a whiner" and walked away, while Severus put away his wand, still trembling with anger.


	7. PETUNIA'S LETTER

It was the thirty-one of August. Severus had been counting every day and every hour since he had received the Hogwarts letter. He had already packed his trunk and decided to see if Lily had, as well. She greeted him, full of excitement.

"I still need to pack my trunk, Sev, but maybe you can help me..."

"Of course" he answered and followed Lily upstairs. They walked past Petunia's room, of which the door was left wide open; it was deserted. Something in the pile of papers on Petunia's desk caught Severus' attention.

"What is that - on Petunia's desk?" he asked Lily. It couldn't be - no, his eyes had to be deceiving him. But he saw a big, antique white envelope with Petunia's name on it in elegant calligraphy...

"She has received a Hogwarts letter as well!" Lily whispered. "I can't believe it! But why hasn't she told me about it?"

Petunia in Hogwarts? Severus, too, couldn't believe it. "Open it!" he demanded impatiently.

Lily hesistated. "But... That is not fair..."

Severus sighed; he could have known that Lily never listened to him when 'Tuney' was concerned. But to his surprise, curiosity eventually got the best of Lily. After glancing at the empty hallway, she went into Petunia's room, opened the envelope and drew out the piece of parchment inside. Then, the hopeful expression on her face made place for distress.

"What does it say?" Severus could not suppress his morbid curiosity.

"It says..." Lily's voice was full of disappointment. "It says she is rejected".

Severus snatched the letter from her and read:

"_Dear miss Petunia Evans, _

_I am terribly sorry to inform you, that Muggles (non-magical persons such as you) are not allowed to attend Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. I hope you will understand. I still wish you lots of joy the rest of your life. Personally, I think laughing is also a very magical thing._

_Kind regards,_

_Albus Dumbledore_"

Severus tried to hide the big relief that suddenly washed over him and said: "I am sorry". He cursed at himself when it sounded more like "Bless the great Lord in heaven".

"You do not sound sorry" Lily snapped at him, but then her gaze drifted towards nothing again, immersed as she was in her sadness.

But then she suddenly got that hopeful look again. "He wrote back to her, and she received his letter! Wouldn't that mean..." Lily paused, "wouldn't that mean that at least, she is _a little bit _magical?"

"No, you have read what Dumbledore wrote, haven't you?" Severus replied. "There is no such a thing as half-magical person. She's either a witch or a Muggle. There must be wizards working undercover in the postal service who take care of rare cases like this."

Lily sighed deeply; tears were forming into her bright green eyes now. Severus did not know what to do; he did not understand why she was upset. Still, with all the sympathy he could possibly gather, he said softly:

"Don't be sad, Lily. Petunia and you can write. It will all turn out okay."

Through her tears, Lily smiled at him. "You really think so?" she asked.

"I do" he promised her, although he wasn't sure about it at all.

* * *

><p>It had been a long ride with the London tube. Eileen glared outside the window and Severus examined Faustus in his glass cage, who seemed to be sleeping the whole ride. They both did not say anything. That morning, Severus had awakened happily, saturated with the feeling that <em>today, finally was <em>the_ day, _but Eileen had a reason for not being so happy; Tobias had decided to vent his suppressed frustration about Severus going to a magic school at her. He had been cursing all morning. Of course Eileen had cursed back, but she seemed to look extra tired today.

Three quarters past ten, they finally arrived at King's Cross Station. "Let's hurry up" Eileen said grimly. Severus looked at the wall seperating Platform 9 and 10. He told himself there was no need to be scared. The wall was magical. Behind it was Platform nine and three quarters just like Diagon Alley had been behind the Leaky Cauldron. So he took a deep breath, and walked towards the wall with his trolley at a faster speed than normal. And just before he would hit the wall, it disappeared - and he suddenly found himself on another station instead, where the sky was still blue and the sun was still shining brightly, but most people were wearing robes, owls were hooting and cats were meowing, and there was a red steam train waiting on the rail..

He looked behind him and Eileen, too, came walking through the wall. "It hasn't changed a bit" she stated.

Severus looked around until he saw Lily with her family. Petunia stood a little bit behind them, and looked at the Hogwarts Express.

"You are going to leave with that train, and of course, _I_ am left here alone!" she shouted, and Severus saw that suddenly, tears were streaming down Petunia's cheeks, but she wiped them away furiously. It did not work, however; new tears were welling up into her eyes.

" . . . I'm sorry, Tuney, I'm sorry! Listen— " Severus could hear Lily plead as she walked towars her sister. She caught her Petunia's hand and held tight to it, even though Petunia tried to pull it away. "Maybe once I'm there—no, listen, Tuney! Maybe once I'm there, I'll be able to go to Professor Dumbledore and persuade him to change his mind!"

"I don't—want— to— go!" said Petunia, and she dragged her hand back out of her sister's grasp. "You think I want to go to some stupid castle and learn to be a–a . . . "  
>She looked around, and Severus was sure she looked at him and Eileen as well when she spat: "—you think I want to be a–a freak?"<p>

Poor Lily, Severus through angrily when Petunia finally succeeded in tugging her hand away and Lily's beautiful eyes filled with tears.

"I'm not a freak," said Lily. "That's a horrible thing to say."

But Petunia continued, her eyes suddenly shining from malicious glee: "That where you're going. A special school for freaks. You and that Snape boy... weirdos, that's what you two are. It's good you're being seperated from normal people. It's for our safety."

Lily glanced helplessly at mr. and mrs. Evans as if she hoped that they would come to her help, but they did not seem to have heard Petunia's hurtful comment and were happily looking around as if Platform 9 3/4 was the best thing they had ever seen in their lives.

She turned around to face Petunia again, and said in a low, fierce voice: "You didn't think it was such a freak's school when you wrote to the headmaster and begged him to take you."

Petunia turned bright red, and Severus was satisfied to see her embarrassed, for once.

"Beg? I didn't beg!" Petunia cried out.

"I saw his reply. It was very kind." Lily continued. It seemed to make Petunia livid.

"You shouldn't have read— " she whispered, "that was my private—how could you—?"

To Severus' dismay, he could feel Lily half-glancing at him. It made Petunia gasp.

"That boy found it! You and that boy have been sneaking in my room!"

"No—not sneaking— Severus saw the envelope, and he couldn't believe a Muggle could have contacted Hogwarts, that's all!" Lily defended. "He says there must be wizards working undercover in the postal service who take care of— "

Petunia had turned very pale. "Apparently wizards poke their noses in everywhere!" she said, before she spat "Freak!" at Lily and hurried towards mr. and mrs. Evans.

Severus was glad when it was fifty-five past ten and Lily told her parents that she had to go. Her parents hugged her, wishing her succes through their tears; Petunia just said goodbye in a stiff manner. Severus watched Lily stepping on the train and taking a seat behind the window, still waving.

"I have to go on the train, it will depart in five minutes" Severus told Eileen. She looked at him with fathomless black eyes.

"And I have to go back home." she simply stated. "Goodbye"

Severus went on board and turned around one last minute. He felt something like a lump in his throat when Eileen hadn't yet moved from her spot. He waved her goodbye, and she waved back. Quickly, he tore away his gaze and searched for the next loo to use for changing into his robes. He couldn't wait to be finally able to wear them...

* * *

><p>When he was finally in his wizard clothes, Severus could feel how the train started to move with a rattling sound. Through an open window, he heard a high-pitched voice yell: "PETER! YOU FORGOT YOUR SANDWICHES!" He looked and saw a plump woman on Platform nine and three quarters running along with the train as if trying to catch up with it.<p>

Severus walked through the corridors in search for Lily and was glad when he finally saw her, hunched and with her face pressed against the windowpane. She turned around, looking at him with a tear-stained face; then, she looked out of the window again.

"I don't want to talk to you" she said in a constricted voice. "Go away".

"Why not?" Severus asked. He did not understand.

"Tuney h-hates me. Because we saw that letter from Dumbledore."

_Tuney _again. Of course. Severus was tired of it. "So what?" he asked coldly.

Lily threw him a look of deepest dislike. "So she's my sister!"

Severus did not know why that changed anything. The fact that she was a relative didn't make Petunia's behavior any better.

"She's only a -" he heard himself say automatically, swallowing the word 'Muggle' in time, glad that Lily had not seemed to hear him, busy as she was wiping her tears in a concealed way.

Severus wished Lily would be as thrilled as he was himself and that she would just enjoy the moment they had been looking forward to for so long.  
>"But we're going!" he said. "This is it! We're off to Hogwarts!"<p>

Still wiping away her tears, Lily half-smiled. It made Severus feel better. He put his trunk and the glass cage with Faustus on the rack above their heads where Lily had put hers on as well and Jude was sleeping in his cage.

"You'd better be in Slytherin" he said.

"Slytherin?" Severus heard someone say in a disgusted voice.

He looked into the direction the voice had come from and saw two boys of around their own age sitting nonchalantly on the two benches next to theirs. One of them was skinny like Severus himself, and had black hair that looked messy at first glance; but the smug, self-confident look behind the glasses told Severus that _nothing _about this boy's appearance was a coincidence, let alone his messy hair. Everything about it seemed planned. The boy sitting opposed to him had black hair as well that was a bit longer, although not as long as Severus' own and he had tanned skin that made his startling gray eyes stand out even more.

"Who wants to be in Slytherin? I'd leave, wouldn't you?" Four-eyes asked the other boy.

"My whole family have been in Slytherin" the other boy said sadly, as if it were a disaster.

"Blimey" Four-eyes said, "and I thought you seemed all right!"

The other boy grinned as if he had said something funny. "Maybe I'll break the tradition." he said. "Where are you heading, if you've got the choice?"

"'Gryffindor, where dwell the brave at heart!' Like my dad." Four-eyes cried out while acting as if he was holding an invisible sword.

Severus could not help but snort at so much bragging. His audible expression of disapproval turned the attention towards him.

"Got a problem with that?"

"No" Severus said and he was not able to suppress the disdain in his voice. "If you're rather brawny than brainy.."

Now, Lickspittle decided to interject. "Where're you hoping to go, seeing as you're neither?" Severus hated his wit. Of course, Four-eyes thought it was really funny.

It made Lily turn red; she looked at the boys in dislike. "Come on, Severus, let's find another compartment." she said loftily. Severus was glad she suggested it.

"Oooooo" they both imitated Lily's voice. Severus trembled with anger, and he managed to step over their sticked out feet in time.

"See ya, _Snivellus_!" one of the boys called, and Severus shook his head at this stupid nickname. He had not cried, so it had not made any sense...

* * *

><p>To Severus' dislike, the other compartment was pretty crowded, and they managed to find an empty bench opposed to two other boys around their age. One of them was pale with ash-brown hair and a curious scar on his face, the other one a bit pudgy with blonde hair and a pointy nose. They did not seem as arrogant as the others. A blessing in disguise.<p>

"Hello" Lily said, "what are your names?"

"Remus. Remus Lupin." the bloke with the scar said.

"Peter P-Pettigrew" the other stuttered.

Severus looked at Peter. "_The _Peter?" he asked. "The Peter who has forgotten his sandwiches?"

Peters cheeks reddened. "No!" he shouted. Remus hastily came up with another subject. "I think I hear the sweets selling witch coming our way.."

That was indeed true; not much later, a witch in brightly-colored robes walked inside their compartment pushed along a sweets-filled cart, and asking everyone if they wanted to buy a treat from her. When she paused in front of them, Remus had already grabbed some Sickles out of a pouch.

"I'd like to buy four chocolate frogs" he told the witch. She smiled at him. "Thank you, dear!" she said, handing Remus four wrapped sweets as he paid her. Then she passed on.

"What are these?" Lily asked curiously, looking at the wrappings.

"Wait and see!" Remus exclaimed happily. He tore away one wrapping and a frog made of chocolate hopped on the table... Severus had never seen anything like it. Suddenly, he felt his stomach making an annoying sound and he regretted not buying one.

Lily seemed to regret this as well, but said it aloud: "I wish I had bought one too!"

"That's why I have bought four" Remus said. Severus stared at him in disbelief. Could a stranger really be this kind?

"Really?" Lily asked, her eyes full of longing.

"Sure!" Remus handed each one of them one of the wrappings.

"That is so kind of you" Lily said softly. This compliment seemed to make Remus feel uneasy; he shrugged and mumbled: "Just being fair..." Severus did not like it.

As they unwrapped their own chocolate frogs, they hopped around the table as well and Lily squealed from joy trying to catch hers. Peter looked rather gloomy when his own frog disappeared somewhere on the ground. Severus managed to catch his own in time by one of its feet, but when Lily threw Peter a pitying look and suggested to give him one half of hers, he suddenly regretted this.

"They have cards as well!" Lily exclaimed happily, drewing out something from her wrapping. "Oo, they have photos on them from famous wizards and witches!"

"I cowllewct twem" Peter said, chewing on his part of Lily's frog, and swallowed. "Have around hundred of them by now"

"Really? That's a lot!" Lily said.

"I have four hundred and fifty" Remus said. Lily laughed.

Severus felt bad because he had a witch for a mother, yet could not talk along with the others on this subject. He drew out his own card; it was Heathcote Barbary, rhytm guitarist of a wizarding rock band called The Weird Sisters. Severus had never heard of wizard rock before, and the card cheered him up a little. Peter had Fulbert the Fearful, a wizard who was famous for not daring to leave his own house, Lily Dzou Yen, a Chinese alchemist, and Remus cried out cheerfully: "FINALLY! I HAVE DUMBLEDORE!"

"Dumbledore's on a chocolate frog card too?" Lily asked curiously. Severus felt a bit jealous that she had already met him; Dumbledore was not only their headmaster, but one of the greatest wizards of all time, according to _A history of Magic_...

"Yes" Remus showed her. As if able to read Severus' thoughts, he asked: "Have you met him too?"

"Yes!" Lily told him about the disaster with Filch and how Dumbledore had come to the rescue. Remus laughed. "I have met Dumbledore too, I even played Gobstones with him!" he said.

"Gobstones?" Severus asked. "My mum was the captain of the Slytherin Gobstones team, back at Hogwarts".

Again, the word Slytherin seemed to awaken a certain aversion. Remus narrowed his eyes very slightly, but visibly; Peter gaped at him as if he had cursed in the church.

"That is... cool" Remus said in a voice as if he had to put very much effort in it to make it sound nice. Peter said nothing. Lily was oblivious to their change of tone, fortunately. Severus did not understand what everyone found wrong with his mother's Hogwarts House.

Suddenly, Lily said, rather startled: "Dumbledore has been in Gryffindor!"

"Yeah" Remus said. "That's why I hope to get Sorted there as well".

"Me too" Peter agreed, "but I bet they'll put me in Hufflepuff instead... I hope not... Hufflepuff is for duffers.."

"It's not" Remus said sharply. "There is nothing wrong with Hufflepuff."

Peter turned red and said nothing. "Oh well, I guess it's better than..." He glanced at Severus.

"Better than what?" Severus encouraged him angrily.

"Slytherin" Peter mumbled.

"And what exactly is _wrong _with Slytherin?" Severus wanted to know.

"Nothing" Remus said hastily. "Please don't pay attention to what Peter says."


	8. THE SORTING

Severus looked next to him. Lily had fallen asleep. She looked very innocent with her eyes closed and her barely audible snoring sounded cute. Peter had been unable to keep awake either, but his snoring sounded irritating instead. Remus looked a little bit drowsey, and sometimes he and Severus would exchange a quick look, silently. That was all they did.

Suddenly, a magically enhanced voice called: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."

Lily's green eyes immediately flew open and Peter looked around, a bit dazed. "Where am I?" he asked. "On your way towards Azkaban" Remus replied. Realizing were he was at last, Peter poked Remus.

Suddenly, everyone wanted to get out of the train. What irritated Severus even more than Peter's snoring, was that he and Remus waited until everyone had passed them.

"Well?" Severus asked.

"It's better to wait than to get squashed" Remus said with a tired expression on his face. Lily nodded. Impatiently Severus waited along with them until they were the only ones left, then they left the train together.

They were greeted by a very big man, who towered over them holding a lantern. The man was twice the size of a normal adult and several times as wide. He had bushy black hair, a beard and black eyes. "Have all students lef' the train?" he said with a voice that befell their ears like the sound of drums. "Firs' years comin' with me!"

He led them down a path that made them feel like the trees around it swallowed them whole, leaving only darkness, until...

A great, dark lake was visible, and behind it, on the top of a rocky mountain, was a castle that could only be described as enchanting, with the light of the stars reflecting in the windows.

"This" the large man said proudly, "is Hogwarts!"

Lily gasped from admiration, and she was not alone.

By the shore was a trail of little wooden boats that were slightly wobbling on the lake. "No more'n four to a boat!" the large man said. He was so big, that he needed a whole boat for his own. Severus and Lily climbed into a boat and were quickly joined by Remus and Peter. They heard: "FORWARD!" and suddenly, the boats started moving on their own. As they neared an opening in the rocks under the castle, the giant shouted: "Keep yer arms an' legs aboard! Previous year we had ter put a firs' years arms back on!" Everyone obeyed in fear. The tunnel was dark as the night itself, but eventually they saw a little harbor and the large man left his boat and climbed upon the rocks. Students followed him, and Severus, Lily, Remus and Peter did so, too. The stone stairs were huge and dark, and eventually, they led to a spot in the grass in front of the great, imposing castle. The large man knocked on the door. Nothing happened. "Seems they're busy" he said and knocked again, and again. After what seemed half a hour, the door was finally opened.

They were greeted by a witch of high stature with black hair in a very tight bun and dark-framed glasses. The half-giant told her with a voice that echoed a lot of respect: "Firs' years are 'ere, McGonagall."

"Thank you, Hagrid" McGonagall said. Hagrid disappeared into the darkness. McGonagall opened the door wider so they could enter the hall. The walls were of stone, but the stairs were from beautiful marble. Severus tried to see where they came out, but they seemed neverending. The hall was lit by torches and from behind the right doorway came the slightly muffled sound of innumerable human beings. Severus, who found everything a little bit overwhelming already, was glad when McGonagall led them to a chamber instead. It was small enough to make him stand shoulder-to-shoulder with both Lily and Peter.

"I'd like to welcome you to Hogwarts, new students" said McGonagall. "The ones of you who haven't read _Hogwarts: A History_ probably wonder what the rumor was that was coming from the door on your right. Well, our pupils are enjoying the start-of-term banquet right now. Before you will be able to join them, you all first need to participate in the Sorting Ceremony. This is our ancient tradition that will tell you in which Hogwarts House you belong -Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw or Slytherin. Your House is like a family away from home. Most of your free time, including classes and nighttime, you will spend with your housemates.

You are expected to give the best of yourself to your house, since all your triumphs at Hogwarts will give you house points and for all your rulebreakings you will lose them just as quickly. At the end of the year, the house with the most points will earn the House Cup, and you are sure going to wish it will be your house. So do not disappoint your house, nor yourself. I encourage you to get the most out of yourself at Hogwarts.

The Sorting Ceremony will begin in a few minutes, and it will take place in front of the rest of the school. Here, you can prepare yourself a bit before I'll come back. Be quit." And then, she strode off towards the hall.

Severus knew everything about what would follow. He _had _read _Hogwarts: a History_. But nothing could have prepared for being the one that was waiting in order to get Sorted himself. Awfully soon, McGonagall came back and ordered them to stand in line and follow her. As McGonagall opened the imposing doors that led to the Great Hall, the scene almost made Severus forget his nervosity. At four long tables, hundred of students were sitting, eating all kinds of delicious looking food from golden plates, drinking from golden goblets. Behind them was another, horizontal long table on which older wizards and witches, who looked like the teachers, were sitting. Above the children's heads flew candles - and ghosts. Again, they looked exactly like Severus had seen in the books, but still, it was a fascinating sight. Same for the high sky-resembing ceiling. McGonagall led them towards the teacher's table, but stopped right before them.

McGonagall placed a stool before them, upon which she put a very old, very shabby pointed hat.

Lily grabbed Severus' robe and whispered in his ear: "It's probably better for Tuney that she did not get that letter - she would have ran seeing this hat"  
>He laughed softly, but went silent again when McGonagall send him a very dark look. Suddenly, the hat opened a brim like it was its mouth, and to everyone's astonishment, even Severus' and Lily's - it started to sing.<p>

"_Welcome, new magicians, do not be afraid_  
><em>I am just a talking hat, see<em>  
><em>Young wizards and witches, from every place<em>  
><em>get cheerful from hearing songs by me<em>

_After quick glances, you will probably muse_  
><em>"How can a hat have any thought?"<em>  
><em>Well do not feel worried or tricked,<em>  
><em>you have not came here for nought<em>

_I am the Sorting Hat, well-informed and_  
><em>I will tell you where you belong<em>  
><em>Have you heard about the Hogwarts Founders?<em>  
><em>I will inform you in this song<em>

_Godric Gryffindor, my former owner he was_  
><em>a wizard generous, responsible and very brave<em>  
><em>He certainly had not lived in vain<em>  
><em>He still gets honored at his grave<em>

_Rowena Ravenclaw, a fair and clever witch_  
><em>found no problem too difficult to solve<em>  
><em>And when Hogwarts needed a floorplan desperately<em>  
><em>she invented ever-changing rooms, staircases that revolve<em>

_Helga Hufflepuff, a witch kind at heart,_  
><em>always was hard-working, never she complained once<em>  
><em>She made no difference whom she liked<em>  
><em>Only the lax she found a dunce<em>

_Salazar Slytherin at last, our final Founder_  
><em>was ambitious and shrewd, not a fool<em>  
><em>Although he preferred the pure of blood<em>  
><em>he contributed very greatly to our school<em>

_Well, my children, the end comes near_  
><em>You may not have made a choice<em>  
><em>But don't worry, I will help at last<em>  
><em>Now only listen carefully to my voice<em>

_Quietly await your own turn and know_  
><em>While you must promise to never roam<em>  
><em>I hope all find friendship here and<em>  
><em>will be able to call Hogwarts home<em>"

Lily squealed from enjoyment and everybody clapped. It seemed that McGonagall was carrying a roll of parchment all of sudden. She took a step forward.  
>"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted" she announced. Severus felt butterflies in his stomach, but not the good kind.<p>

"Allington, Meadow" McGonagall called loudly, and, as Severus thought, without any mercy. A brown-haired, rather large girl with freckles and a few extra chins sat down on the stool, that creaked while she put the hat on her head. "SLYTHERIN!" the hat cried out almost instantly. Everyone at the second table to the right applauded. Smiling smugly, Meadow walked towards them and sat down.

"Avery, Carsten", a tall, stocky boy with very short hair and dark blue, quite angry looking eyes quickly became a Slytherin as well.

"Black, Sirius!" Lickspittle stepped forward. A few girls in the line stepped on their toes to see more of him; some stepped aside. A few whispered. McGonagall coughed. When Black put the hat on his dark-haired head, it took a long time to decide. Eventually the hat cried out: "GRYFFINDOR!" and, with an air of conquest, Black walked nonchalantly to the table on the far left, which exploded with cheers.

"Bones, Cooper", a red-haired boy, became another Gryffindor.

"Brown, Daniel", a boy with dirty blonde hair, became the first Ravenclaw and sat down at the second to left table.

"Bulstrode, Graham", became the first Hufflepuff, sitting down on the table on the far right.

"Crabbe, Vincent" turned out to be a Slytherin.

Severus' mind drifted off al little until he suddenly heard: "Evans, Lily!" He held his breath. The Sorting Hat had barely touched the dark red hair as it shouted:  
>"GRYFFINDOR!"<p>

Severus groaned. The small, apologizing smile Lily send him before walking towards the cheering and yelling Gryffindor table almost broke his heart for a reason he could not explain. He registrered with glee, though, that Black made room for her on the Gryffindor table but she ignored it and walked past Black with her arms folded. Severus barely realized that "Greengrass, Dantel" was Sorted into Slytherin and "Greengrass, Seppy" into Hufflepuff. He was kind of in a daze, but came back to reality when he heard: "Lupin, Remus!" and saw that Remus was Sorted in Gryffindor as well, along with Peter.

When McGonagall called "Potter, James!" and Four-eyes sat down on the stool, Severus held his breath. "GRYFFINDOR!" the Sorting Hat cried and Potter smirked broadly in the same arrogant way as Black had done and Severus swallowed his bile. _No way_.

After 'Rochester, Leah', a skinny girl with strawberry blonde curls, McGonagall suddenly called: "Snape, Severus!"  
>Every inch of Severus' body trembled as he walked towards the stool. He saw every single pair of the hundreds of eyes at the dinner tables gazing at him. He sat down on the stool, and grabbed the old hat. If anyone had told him three years ago that he would be put into a magical school house by a talking hat, he would not have believed it. But here he was.<p>

"I think they need to clean the Hat after he is Sorted" Severus heard Black yell along with some mocking whistles before he pulled the hat over his head and everything turned dark. He almost jumped when a voice said in his head:

"Kind of greasy, this hair. Now, where I shall I put you?"

"_Gryffindor, please, Gryffindor." _Severus begged.

"Gryffindor, hmm? Young man, please revelate; from where comes this urge?"

Almost automatically, Severus' eyes drifted over the students at the Gryffindor table until he catched a glimpse of dark-red hair.

"Ah, I see." The hat reacted before he could have said anything. "It is because of loyalty. Tell me, do you consider yourself brave?"

Severus had never thought about that before, and he was not really sure about it either. Yet, he suddenly wanted nothing more passionately than to be brave.  
>"I am" he answered.<p>

But the hat did not seem convinced. "More than bravery, I sense ambition, and the willingness to reach your goals no matter what obstacles you will have to overcome. Loyalty is never worth renouncing one's true self for._ SLYTHERIN!"_

Everyone at the Slytherin table clapped and cheered - and Severus realized they expected him to walk towards it and sit with them. It took a while before his, still shaking, legs obeyed this unwilling command. A tall, older boy with long blonde hair patted him on the shoulder as a means of welcome. The badge on his robes said _Lucius Malfoy, Slytherin Prefect._

Severus felt dragged down into an empty chair, next to a dark girl with long, wavy black hair, high cheekbones and striking cat-like, dark violet eyes that he vaguely remembered as "Zabini, Psyche". She did not grant him a second glance and stared at her long nails instead. At his left sat an ecstacingly grinning, black-haired boy who Severus knew was "Crabbe, Vincent". Severus desperately wanted to wipe the smile off Vincent's face. To distract himself, he looked at the teacher's table and saw Albus Dumbledore sitting there among the teachers, such as McGonagall, who had apparently sat down when the Sorting was over, and a white-haired, very short man whose legs did not reach the ground. As Severus glanced towards the Gryffindor table, he saw Lily laughing at something a blonde-haired girl had said. It looked like she had already forgotten him. To his annoyance, Severus couldn't say the same.

In reality Dumbledore looked both impressive and friendly. When he stood up, Severus was surprised by how tall the man was for his age. Everyone was silent.  
>"Welcome, new and not-so-new students. Welcome at Hogwarts! This morning, I found one of my lost socks" Dumbledore said with a magically enhanced voice. Everybody clapped. Severus was not sure what that was about, but he clapped, too.<br>"Now, enjoy our first-term banquet!" Everybody clapped again. Lucius Malfoy said something Severus had not heard and everybody except for him laughed.

Even though the table was filled with lots of delicious looking foods Severus had been dying to try several minutes ago, he took a small piece of roast chicken and tried an even smaller part of it with dismay. It tasted delicious, but it almost made him sick - he was not hungry anymore.  
>The other students around him, whom he didn't care about, talked about subjects he didn't care about. Severus stole a quick glance at Lily, who seemed to be really enjoying a pastry. Then he just stared blankly in the distance until something silvery and translucent blocked his view. He almost shrieked when he saw that the silvery mist was a man. Or rather, a ghost.<p>

The man, or ghost, wore a curly wig on his sunken face, heavy shackles on his arms and the substance on his robes had no color but looked a lot like blood...  
>When he caught Severus looking at him, he said quickly in a ghostly voice: "Nevermind, I hoped you were dead. I'm dying for some company". Severus had no time to get angry at him because the next second the bloody ghost was already gone. Severus was glad when the meals made place for desserts and when eventually they, too, disappeared. Dumbledore stood up for the second time. Everybody was silent again.<p>

"Just a few more words now, students. I have a few start-of-term notices. The Forbidden Forest is forbidden. Magic is only permitted in classrooms, not outside of them. Anyone not following this order will face the wrath of our caretaker, Argus Filch-"

Some students, among which Lucius Malfoy, Carsten Avery and the boy next to Carsten with shoulder-length mousy-brown hair, laughed. Argus, however, stared menacingly at all of them as if trying to live up to Dumbledore's words. Somehow, the fact that he had not stopped stroking mrs. Norris made it ten times more creepy.


	9. LUCIUS MALFOY

"We can all do with a little singing before going to bed" Dumbledore said. He flicked with his wand and lyrics made from golden ribbon appeared above their heads. "Everyone now sing along in a tune they like!"

Everyone sang: "Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts, teach us something please, whether we be old and bald or young with scabby knees"

With dislike, Severus monotonously murmured along: "Our heads could do with filling with some interesting stuff for now they're bare and full of air dead flies and bits of fluff", wondering if it had really been the great mind of Dumbledore that had come up with this nonsense.

"You have to _sing_" Psyche Zabini hissed, "Soooo teach us thiiiings worth knooowing, bring back what we've forgoooot..."

Severus stuck his fingers in his ears and kept his mouth shut. After everyone had finally finished the song, Dumbledore told them it was time to go to bed, in a very syrupy-sweet voice. Severus was very glad when Psyche took the first chance to get away from him and quickly walked towards a red-haired boy and the tall, brown-haired one standing next to him who looked handsome and older than his age and reminded Severus of Black.

Lucius Malfoy stood up and gave a quick nod with his pale, light-blonde head. "Follow me" he said solemnly and headed towards the Great Hall, were they walked down the marble staircase until they reached a stone archway that Lucius passed. Severus glanced at all the moving portraits before he hastily followed the rest.

Past the archway it was dark, because of the dark gray stone walls; the further they went, the more Severus realized every entry here exactly resembled each other. It would be very easy to get lost, so he anxiously fixed his gaze upon Vincent Crabbe's dark head. He shivered of the sudden coldness that washed over him, like he had just taken a dive into a very cold sea.

Finally, they reached a stone door concealed in the wall. "Thorned roses" Lucius whispered and the door slid open. The Slytherin Common Room had the same stone walls as the rest of the dungeons. Green lamps hanging from the ceiling somewhat brightened the enigmatic gloom, along with the posh-looking adorned marble fireplace.  
>A few older students were sitting on ornate velvet-silver chairs. There were dark-green intricate tapestries on the floor and as decoration on the walls, ancient-looking paintings of what seemed to be important former Slytherins along with Salazar himself, and there was glittering and sparkling silver all around.<p>

"Welcome, future prodigies" Lucius cried out dramatically, "to our modest Common Room". Severus, who saw nothing modest about the quarters except for the cold stone walls, understood it was meant as an arrogant understatement rather than true modesty.

"Pretty nice" some of his fellow students said, but Severus refused to acknowledge his awe.

"You'll be sleeping in a room with three or four fellow first years. Boys and girls apart. I'll be gone, but I'll return in about an hour and then I'd like to know who sleeps with who. Not in _that _way, unless I got myself all faggots and dykes" Lucius laughed mockingly and walked away. Nobody knew whether to laugh or not.

"What did he mean?" Vincent Crabbe asked.

"Isn't that Crabbe dumb?" the brown-haired guy said loudly. But nobody laughed at that either.

"I did not understand that Lucius character either!" Meadow protested.

"Oh, _shut up_, fatass" the brown-haired guy retorted. Meadow looked at the ground, tears dropped on the stone floor. Everyone pretended not to notice, except for Dantel Greengrass.

"What are you, a Hufflepuff?" she mocked.

"NO!" Meadow looked up now. "I'm not, and I'll show you-"

"But anyway, we need to decide who sleeps with who" Psyche said loudly. "Girls over here" She gestured as if she was in charge and the other girls listened to her, walking into her direction, although there were only five of them; the first-year girls and boys of Slytherin were divided very unequally.

"Awrite." the red-haired guy said to the boys with a thick Scottish accent. "Mah nam is Evan Rosier, in case you've aw forgotten. What are your names, by th' way? I huvnae heard everyone's." Severus was glad that he wasn't the only who had not been paying attention. He hated remembering names, because he just wasn't very good at it.

"I'm Marco Wilkes" the arrogant brown-haired guy said.

"Stephan Mulciber" came from the boy who had sat next to Avery.

"Delmore Yaxley" had white-blonde hair even lighter than Lucius and his blue eyes stared at them in a slightly mean manner.

"Accario Nott" was a tall boy with dark-brown hair and hazel eyes, who looked a tad frightened.

"Gregory Selwyn" had dark hair, tanned skin, dark-blue eyes and horned glasses. He looked very self-satisfied.

"Edwin Goyle" was stocky and wide-shouldered, with short dark-blonde hair. He was also a little bit overweight.

Severus tried his hardest to pay attention, but eventually the Slytherin Common room disappeared and turned into the Great Hall again, and he saw Lily sitting on the Gryffindor table and laughing with her blonde-haired new friend...

A harsh push brought him back to reality again. "And this is Severus Snape" said somebody else for him, and Severus realized it was Gregory Selwyn.

Everyone stared at him with badly-disguised morbid curiosity, and Severus wondered if he had forgotten to wipe his mouth or something. He was glad when the silence was interrupted by "Thorfinn Rowle", a very tall guy with blonde hair and reddish eyes.

"Rabastan Lestrange" was a guy who was rather nondescript in his silence and in the shadows but actually striking when talking and in the light. He seemed to emit the same sort of importancy that Lucius Malfoy and Black did, but was not as handsome as either of them. He was thin and short with medium brown hair, and seemed to highly benefit from his charisma.

"Antonius Burke" had jet-black hair yet a pale, freckled skin and hazel eyes; he sort of reminded Severus of an uncanny cross between Four-eyes, no,_Potter, _and mr. Evans.

"Vadim Bulstrode" was probably the brother of Graham. His face was full of bright-red pimples. He had limp, lifeless brown hair and was quite stockily build.

"Linus Gibbon" had long dark-brown hair and also a very dark stare.

"Ah suggest we pit guys from th' wealthiest families together first" Rosier said as if it was the most natural thing possible. "Ah think that woulds be ye, Accario, Antonius, Delmore, Linus and Gregory, am ah reit?"

"Yes Rosier, thank you" Yaxley said coldly. He and his rich cronies grouped together, staring smugly at the others.

"An' for the rest it doesnae matter, dizit? Just fin' some fowk, an' make groups aw five max" Rosier concluded, but nobody was listening to him anymore. It happened very quickly, there was some babbling, and then most of the boys had found their future roommates; Severus walked towards the group consisting out of Avery, Wilkes, Gibbon and Mulciber, but when Avery saw him approaching, he quickly seized Evan Rosier by the scarf, and Rosier, who had previously been blatantly ignored, seemed very happy to have found his dormmates at last.

Severus sighed; Rosier and Mulciber had been the only persons that he sort of liked. Now, he was forced to join the left-over group consisting out of Crabbe, Goyle, Rowle and Bulstrode, who greeted him with all-but-welcoming expressions, except for Bulstrode, who suddenly stared at the wall. Rowle stared at him as if he was a fly that he longed to crush.

"We have that Snape?" he asked loudly.

"I object!" Crabbe cried out.

"And who are supposed to take him, then? _Us_?" Yaxley mocked. Severus tried to ignore his anger, he could feel it overwhelming him again...

"_Excuse me_." he said, as calmly as he could muster. "D'you care to explain me why I'm not wanted?"  
>Everyone stared at him again. Severus felt more and more uncomfortable, but at the same time, more and more angry.<p>

"He doesn't understand!" Rowle giggled.

"Who's your daddy, _Snape_?" Wilkes asked.

"Not a wizard, or else we knew him!" Gibbon added eagerly.

"Don't get all privileged with us, Mudblood!" Gregory Selwyn finally spat. Yaxley cheered.

"I AM -NOT- A MUDBLOOD!" Severus shouted, pointing his finger at Selwyn. "MY MUM'S A PRINCE!"

At first, this seemed to impress them. Then, Selwyn asked in a casual, mocking, awful way: "You mean _Eileen _Prince? She went to school with my dad. He told me she wasn't a very good witch. Had to steal SmartPotion, how pathetic!"

Everyone laughed, and Severus clenched his fists. This was the final drop. He rather went back to Spinner's End than having to spend one more minute with these disgusting people who loved to insult his mum while he was being seperated from his former best friend who had already forgotten him. And before his disgusting fellow Slytherins could say anything else, Severus walked towards the door of the Common room.

"Hey! Where does he think he's going?!" he heard Selwyn yell, but he did not pay any attention to it. He opened the door and slammed it shut behind him; the coolness of the dungeons wrapped around him in a chilling embrace. He got lost several times before he finally reached the marble stairs; he climbed them and walked accross the Great Hall...

Suddenly, his wrist was gripped so tightly that a second he was afraid his bones might snap.

"HEY! Where the _hell_ do yeh think yeh're goin'?"

Severus slowly turned around and had to look up to face the person who had stopped him - it was Hagrid.

"Home" Severus simply replied, and hoped that it sounded cocky and determined enough, that there was no tremble in his voice-

"HOME?!" Hagrid replied, startled, and his whole expression had changed from angry to curious. "Why on earth would yeh wan' ter go home on yer first day of school? I sumtimes 'ave homesickness too, but-"

"I'm-" Severus' pride vanished and he looked at the ground. "I'm not welcome here." he admitted.

Now, Hagrid got an almost understanding look in his eyes that frightened Severus more than anything. "Come with me, an' have some tea" he said. From the sudden pull at his arm, Severus realised that it was no question, but rather a command.

Hagrid grabbed a big set of bronze keys from his pocket and opened te door. Severus wondered why, if they were going to have some tea, but did not ask questions. Anxious about what Hagrid was going to tell him, Severus followed him outside, accross the dark, barely distinguishable grass, until he saw a big hut. Hagrid opened the door and entered before holding open the door for Severus, who followed.

The hut was a living and sittingroom in one, and besides from a small one at the side, it had no doors. A very tall black dog had awakened from its slumber and ran towards Severus, knocking him over. "NIMROD!" Hagrid bellowed. Severus shrieked, but as he laid helplessly on the ground, the dog only started licking him.  
>It was, nonetheless, quite disgusting, but at least better than to be eaten alive. "Nimrod, OVER HERE!" Hagrid bellowed again, but Nimrod did not seem to obey his owner, so Hagrid grabbed his dog by one of his flappy ears and dragged him towards his big basket. When the dog laid down, Hagrid sat down as well with a sigh.<p>

"Me apologies" he said, "Nimrod's usually very tame... Don' know what came over 'im... Jus' really like 'em big dogs" He sent Nimrod a loving glance.

"Nevermind" Severus said.

"So" Hagrid turned to face him now. "They discovered yeh were a Squib, righ'? I don' like the word, but..." he suddenly looked very uncomfortable, "I don' know how ter say it otherwise, yeh know?"

Severus just looked back at him, and blinked a few times. "Squib?" he eventually repeated. Then it dawned upon him and he shook his head violently. "No! No, I'm no Squib!"

"Oh" Hagrid said, confused. "Then why aren't yeh welcome at Hogwarts?"

Severus felt himself turn red. He looked away. "They don't like me" he eventually admitted. "The other Slytherins."

Hagrid started to laugh. "If tha's everythin'!" he shouted, slamming his big thighs. "Tha's a blessing, not a curse!"

Severus glared at him. Hagrid eventually looked serious again. "So, tha's the only reason yeh left?!" he asked, unbelievingly.

"You don't know!" Severus replied angrily. "They think I'm trash because I don't come from a wealthy, prominent pureblood family like them. They judge me just like everybody else..." He tried to fight the tears welling up into his eyes. Hagrid patted him on the back with one of his big hands, causing his whole body to shake.

"An' from which family do yeh come from, if I may ask?" Hagrid asked. Severus felt relieved from this question. No one else at Hogwarts had yet expressed genuine interest in him.

"My dad's a Muggle, but he's not important" Severus said quickly. "My mum is a witch. Her name is Eileen Prince."

"Eileen Prince?" Hagrid repeated, suddenly looking very surprised. "Tha's - tha's a coincidence, for sure! Now listen - wha's yer name?"

"Severus Snape" Severus muttered.

"I'm Rubeus Hagrid. Now listen, Severus Snape! I have watched yer mum walkin' out of Hogwarts against 'er will. I'm not gonna let yeh do the same on purpose!"

"You have - you have watched my mum walk out of Hogwarts?" Severus asked, and he suddenly found himself sitting a lot straighter.

"Yeah, she was expelled, Eileen Prince, such a waste of a good witch..." Hagrid mused. Then he looked at Severus. "I'm sure she has told yeh?"

"Yes" Severus lied hastily, "Yes, she has told me that". _Hagrid thought Eileen had been a good witch_. Even though Hagrid didn't seem to be a very good recommendation, Severus felt warm inside. Now he understood why Eileen never wanted to talk about her time at Hogwarts... As soon as he was home, he should remind himself to ask her if it was true that she had stolen SmartPotion... But suddenly, he wasn't so sure he wanted to leave today anymore. That also meant he wouldn't see Lily anymore. Lily! The idea of not seeing her anymore made Severus cringe.

"Look" Hagrid said earnestly, "I understand tha' things 're bad for yeh right now, Severus. I never liked Slytherins meself. But tha' does not mean that yeh can't be a great Slytherin an' make a difference. They might treat yeh unfairly now, but remember, yeh are 'ere for yeh an' nobody else."

Severus smiled weakly at him. Then, somebody banged on the door.

"Come in!" Hagrid bellowed.

A tall, blonde-haired young man was standing in the huge doorway and gazed at them with his grey eyes. "Ah, there you are. Others told me you went...here." Lucius drawled, his voice full of contempt at the last word.

"So what if I'm here!" Severus spat, but Hagrid sent him a warning look.

"Come with me" Lucius ordered, and Severus hesitatingly stood up. As he walked towards Lucius, he looked back once more. Hagrid waved him goodbye, and he waved back. Lucius almost dragged him out of the hut.

"_What _were you doing by this despicable half-giant?" Lucius hissed, grabbing Severus by the collar of his robe. Severus violently shook him off.

"Who I talk with is none of your business, Malfoy the Prefect!" he shouted.

Lucius now changed his approach. "Calm down, Snape" he said, raising his hands. "It's just... You already have a...reputation... And it's of no use soiling it further.."

"I DON'T CARE ABOUT MY BLOODY REPUTATION!" Severus screamed, trembling.

"Listen" Lucius said icily. "I'm not against halfbloods. I'm against talentless idiots, and something tells me that you aren't one of them. But you have to follow the rules of the game, or you lose. That's how it works in the grown-up world as well."

Severus felt his anger disappear slowly. He sighed. "I'm sorry" he murmured. "What - what do I have to do? They despise me. No one wants to share a dormroom with me."

"They better do" Lucius Malfoy said with a malicious smirk, "or I'll let them suffer both Argus Filch's and_my _wrath". He raised his wand, and dark sparks came out of it. He looked as if looking forward to punish one of the horrible fellow first-years, and that made Severus feel slightly better. He followed Lucius back to the commonroom.

* * *

><p>Lucius banged on the door of one of the dormitories.<p>

"Yeah?" asked Bulstrode sleepily, and pimply as ever even in the moonlight. He suddenly looked wide awake when he saw Severus. "Lucius - NO! You can't mean this!" he cried out indignantly.

"Shut your ugly mouth, Bulstrode, and be a neat, cooperating little firstyear Slytherin." Lucius said snarkily and nudged Severus inside. Bulstrode did not protest anymore, but looked with eyes full of anger at Severus, who ignored his gaze.

"Have a good night, gentleman!" Lucius shouted, laughing, before walking away.

Severus felt very grateful when he saw somebody had made up his bed and he saw his trolley and the cage with Faustus in it... He could not believe he had completely forgotten about it. He could not believe he had wanted to throw everything away just because some pathetic boys happened to dislike him. Suddenly he also realised exactly how tired he was.

"I hate that Malfoy! I wish we could get another Prefect!" Rowle shouted and punched his cushion.

"Maybe if we vote?" Bulstrode said hopefully.

"No" Crabbe said darkly. "Most like him".

"I bet you do, too?" he asked Severus. "Kissass."

"I'm NOT!" Severus shouted, forgetting his goal to ignore them.

"Kissass, kissass, kissass" Crabbe chanted very annoyingly. Severus stuck his fingers in his ears and eventually used his cushion to muffle the sound.

When his dormmates had finally managed to put aside their indignation about his presence long enough to fall asleep, Rowle turned out to be a very loud snorer.

Severus looked out of the window, and was surprised when he suddenly saw a fish. Oh, of course... they were under the lake. He started counting all the fish until his eyes finally fell shut.


	10. THE WRONG CHOICE

_While I think it is a good theory that Irma Pince is Eileen Prince, in my story, Eileen and Irma are two different persons. We'll see whether JK Rowling ever comments on this question. I am very curious about it.  
><em>

* * *

><p>Severus was rudely woken by piercing voices.<p>

"...The Holyhead Harpies!" Bulstrode snickered.

"What's wrong with watching them?" Crabbe protested.

"They can't play. They're _girls_" Bulstrode shook his head. "The Chudley Cannons and Wimbourne Wasps are what's _really_ worth watching!" He was waving his arms.

Severus did not pay attention anymore. Quidditch. That was a subject he could not say anything about. He knew it was a wizarding sport, but that was the only thing he needed to know. He liked the idea of flying on a broomstick and was excited to learn it, but like he had never cared for any sort of Muggle sport, he couldn't care less for the wizard version either.

Silently, he changed into his robes. Fortunately, his dormmates had changed their strategy and had decided to ignore him instead. It was a big improvement. Severus caught a few flies and fed them to Faustus before heading downstairs for his own breakfast, alone.

He told himself that he only needed to adjust a bit and that soon enough he would be accompanied by his likes.

* * *

><p>The Great Hall was crowded and rowdy; two of Severus' least favorite things. He walked towards the Gryffindor table.<p>

"Lily?"

"Sev!" When she saw him standing behind her, Lily cut her conversation with the blonde-haired girl short. "I feel bad that you aren't in Gryffindor too" she said with a sad expression, but wat was meant to sound nice felt like rubbing salt into a wound.

"Can't talk Dumbledore into changing my house, can I?" Severus replied. He could not help but look at Remus and Peter. _They _were eating their breakfast at the same table as Lily, but they had not even asked for it. There was something different about the students laughing at the Gryffindor table. They seemed happier overall, or was it just imagination? He shook off the thought.

"No" Lily sighed and then frowned. "No, I don't think you can". Then her face brightened. "But tell me all about your first day, Sev! Tell me all about the Slytherins! What are they like?"

No one at the Gryffindor table seemed to share her curiosity. Black snorted. Severus had already felt like something bad had been missing in his mind, and now he knew what or rather who it had been: Potter and Black.

"Yeah Snivellus, tell me what the Slytherins are like?" Black asked. "Are they dumb or retarded?" Potter laughed, and several others did as well. Severus felt himself getting red and could not think of anything to say back. He just glared at them.

"Will you stop acting mean?" Lily asked, looking at Black with lots of disgust.

"Will you stop betraying your house?" Potter retorted. Severus huffed at the word _b__etraying_.

"I wasn't talking to you!" Lily snapped at Potter.

Potter rolled his eyes. "It's of no use, Sirius" he said softly. With a look at Lily, he stated in a sepulchral voice: "She has made her choice".

"For someone who never washes his hair" Black added. Some Gryffindors laughed. Severus clenched his fists. What kind of low insult was _that_?

"None of my choices are..are of your business!" Lily said. The blonde-haired girl next to her giggled.

Lily turned back at Severus. "So how was your first day?" she asked eagerly.

"Good" he lied. Lily studied him. This was nothing like the private conversation Severus had expected.

"So did you make some new friends? I did. This is Marlene McKinnon!" Lily said proudly, looking at the blonde girl.

Marlene stuck out her hand. "Hello Sev, I'm Marlene" she said, "Lily has told me all about you".

With difficulty, Severus was able to produce a smile. But of course, it had been naive to assume that Lily would not make any friends besides him. Lily was the friend-making type. And as long as she didn't befriend Potter or Black, Severus told himself that it was still okay. He shook Marlene's warm hand.

"I have to go" he said, before Lily or Marlene could ask him anything else about his first day. "See you, Lily".

"See you later, Sev" Lily called after him.

When Severus sat down on the Slytherin table amongst the other first years, next to Rowle who did not look up from his bacon and eggs and an unknown older student, Lucius commented mockingly: "Mingling with Gryffindors, aren't we?"

"I bet he secretly wants to _be_ one." Gregory Selwyn said, his cold eyes gazing into Severus' soul from behind his glasses.

"_No_" Severus said through gritted teeth. "Never!" He ignored his urge to try to curse Selwyn and grabbed a toast. He still wasn't hungy and looked at his timetable. Their first lessons ever at Hogwarts turned out to be History of magic and Charms. He really looked forward to them.

* * *

><p>At first, Severus wondered if professor Binns was late for his own class. But the History of Magic professor turned out to be a ghost, who entered the classroom through the old-looking blackboard. "Welcome new first years take a seat" he said. Severus watched everyone of his classmates take a seat behind one of the three rows of wooden desks. There only was room for him next to Rowle or Gibbon, but he decided it would be for the best if he sat alone, so he took a seat at the empty part of the back row, behind Avery and Mulciber.<p>

"Has everyone brought a piece of parchment and a quill because you will have to take notes.. I see everyone did... good... well children in this first lesson I am going to tell about the first history of magic that is known to us... what I am going to tell you is a briever summary of what you can also find in your book A history of magic but I will sometimes also mention things that are not in the book so it does not mean you can stop paying attention..." professor Binns droned in the most monotonous voice Severus had ever heard.

He saw Rowle and Bulstrode exchange looks. He could almost read their thoughts: if the whole lesson was going to sound like this...

Without warning, professor Binns started: "Today there are still a lot of things unknown about the history of magic... The origins of wizardry and witchcraft can be traced back to the first Animagi... that are witches and wizards who can transform into animals... There were no spells in the current sense... magic was used rather intuitively and uncontrollably much like that of young children nowadays... As you can understand it were dangerous times back then when there were misunderstandings or arguments... Fortunately magic was mostly used for peaceful purposes... But uncontrolled magic from witches and wizards themselves was not the most dangerous thing because lots of dangerous Fantasic Beasts were not controlled either and lots of people were brutally killed or injured by them... Wizards and witches sometimes lived together but mostly they did not know about each others existence so they mostly lived amongst the Muggles... Then there was the Neolithic Revolution and Muggles started to build villages and more attention was paid to witches and wizards... Sometimes that was a good thing and they became prominent persons sometimes they became outcasts or were even cast off and had to live a nomadic existence..."

Trying to suppress a yawn, Severus mused that if professor Binns had been a Muggle, he could probably have gotten very rich selling his recorded speeches as a sleep aid. But as a magical teacher, Binns was of as much use as Dumbledore's Hogwarts song. Not that it mattered, because Severus had already read everything that the professor told them. He was very relieved when the bell rang. He watched the other students pick up their books and walk out of the class and silently followed them, trying to ignore the uncomfortable feeling it gave him. The next class was Charms. Fortunately, both classrooms were located on the third floor, so they weren't annoyed by any ghosts or portraits.

Classroom 2E was rather light, because of the windows. Professor Flitwick was the tiny man. He seemed a lot more enthousiastic than Binns and started with checking everyone's presence from a piece of parchment. Then he squeezed his tiny hands eagerly. "Welcome, new students!" he said.

"Today, I will teach you about the basic principles of magical theory. Our goal is that after two months, you'll all be able to cast your first charm: Wingardium Leviosa, which is a spell that can levitate everything you desire. Of course, light objects are easier, so we'll start with them. Now, pay attention everyone!"

Severus had been wondering what the white feather on Flitwick's desk was for, but now the answer was given as Flitwick pointed at it with his wand. "Wingardium Leviosa!" he cried out.

The feather lifted itself from the desk and slowly floated into the air. It kept floating until Flitwick flicked with his wand again. Most still gazed at the feather in awe.

"Well, that isn't too exciting" Severus heard Mulciber whisper to Avery. "Will take long before we'll learn to levitate humans".

"But think of other uses" Avery replied almost inaudibly. "One could possibly Disarm others this way; we'll get that in Defense Against the Dark Arts, no question.."

"Leave that Defense Against out" Mulciber smirked. Severus felt a pang of excitement.

Mulciber raised his hand. "Yes?" Flitwick asked politely.

"Will our goal be to levitate female students and expose their lacey knickers?" Mulciber asked earnestly.

Severus laughed, along with Avery, Rosier and some other students. Flitwick turned bright red. It was priceless to see the disgusted look on the faces of Xaxley, Selwyn, Nott and Burke.

"Ewww, nasty!" Goyle yelled. Dantel Greengrass looked at Mulciber as if she wanted to strangle him.

Professor Flitwick cleared his throat. "No, mr. Mulciber, I have to dissappoint you. Unfortunately for you, and fortunately for all female students, their does not exist a spell that will turn someone upside down". His gaze lingered on a visibly very relieved Meadow and the two girls Severus did not know the name of. "Now, everyone, open your book at chapter one."

Severus automatically thought about Lily's knickers. No! He did not want to think about that! Hastily, he opened his book and hid behind it as he felt his own cheeks getting red as well. He had already read every chapter of _The standard book of spells_, so he just stared blankly at the letters. He wanted to practise Wingardium Leviosa right now, but he had to wait two full months for that...

"I don't understand a thing of this" Severus heard Avery's frustrated growl. "Lift, drag, weight'? I thought magic was going to be _easy_!"

"Don't be discouraged!" Professor Flitwick cried out. "You can always ask me any questions!"

"I am _not_ going to ask a question" Avery murmured.

"Me neither" Mulciber agreed.

Severus hesitated. He did not want others to know that he had already read all of his books. But Avery and Mulciber sounded desperate, and maybe they would like him if he answered their question... He lowered his book and leaned forward. "These words just mean the natural forces working on the object. You'll have to manipulate those with magic to make the feather fly. You don't _really _need to know that, but knowing what you are doing gives you more control over your spells." he whispered.

Avery turned to him, looking angry. "Thanks" he replied. Severus realised that the angry look was just his natural face, and sent him a cautious smile."What did you mean with 'Leave that Defense against out'?" he asked curiously.

Avery frowned, he and Mulciber looked at each other. "I beg you pardon?" Mulciber asked.

"You two were talking about Defense against the Dark Arts, and then you said 'Leave that Defense against out'" Severus repeated.

They exchanged looks. 'Oh, that was nothing' Mulciber eventually said.

Severus was disappointed, but he did not question them further. He would find it out for himself. After what seemed like hours, the bell finally rang. They were free now; they only had two classes today. That did not mean they were free from homework, but the homework from both classes was a piece of cake.

This time, he kept his eye on Mulciber, Avery, Wilkes and Rosier; Goyle was gone, and Severus did not care where he went. Mulciber and Rosier were whispering excitedly.

"So yer dad has given ye Slughorns signed note?" Rosier said. Mulciber nodded.

"My dad doesn't support the Restricted Section much... But he recognizes the importance of uncensored education.."

"Will ye quit talkin' in expensive words?" Rosier snapped. Mulciber laughed.

"Just copying my dads talk... Wait till you hear him at the Ministry..."

Wilkes laughed mockingly. Avery's look was no longer just dark, but also smoldering. They were so immersed in each other, that none of them noticed Severus following them.

The Hogwarts Library was located on the same floor as their classes. It was enormous and consisted out of a large labyrinth with walls and walls full of books. Behind a desk sat a thin woman who was taking notes. When she heard Mulciber, Avery, Rosier and Wilkes approaching, she looked up with an agitated expression, gnawing on the end of her quill.

"I have never seen you lot before" she stated in a snappy voice. "I'd like to inform you about the rules in my library. Absolutely no talking in here, otherwise you're out as quickly as you got in. Don't ever try to inflict harm unto my old and precious books; I've put spells on them for protection. No eating. No-"

Severus saw Mulciber shove a piece of parchment under the librarian's beakylike nose. "We are second years, actually" he lied. "We'd like to visit the Restricted Section; we have permission from Slughorn."

The librarian inspected it probably even more suspiciously than the goblin at Gringotts had inspected Severus' key. Eventually, she said with a croacked voice:  
>"I am not sure how old this is..."<p>

"It isn't old!" Mulciber protested.

The librarian arched one thin eyebrow. "I have my doubts" she said coldly. "What does a second year Potions student need to use the Restricted Section for?"

Mulciber looked very angry. Without saying a word, he turned around and the others followed him.

"Look who's there!" Wilkes said loudly, noticing Severus. "Why are you following us around, halfblood?"

"I wasn't following you, you arrogant prat." Severus spat. "Too bad the librarian didn't believe your daddy's note, innit?" he asked Mulciber. "What d'you wanted to visit the Restricted Section for?"

Mulciber looked at him darkly. "It's none of your business, Snape" he said softly.

"No? I have some ancient curse books..If it were curses you wanted to look up, they are in there" Severus heard himself say.

Mulcibers eyes widened. "Curse books?" he mumbled. Severus nodded.

"Don't believe what the ickle halfblood says!" Wilkes protested. "It's a lie, because he has no friends." Severus hated him even more than Petunia. And that said something.

Mulciber still looked very greedily at Severus, but he eventually said: "Yeah, you're probably right, Wilkes."

"NO!" Severus protested. What was it that made everyone turn into some idiot under the influence of others? "You have to believe me, they're my mother's books, I'm not lying, you have to believe me-"

But they already walked away, and Severus was not going to run after them. He just clenched his fists, like he was doing way too much lately. Why couldn't they like him?


	11. CHALLENGES

The second day, they had Transfiguration for the first time. When everyone entered Classroom 1B, which was on the ground floor and rather big, surrounded by high windows, there was nobody there - except for a cat sitting on the desk.

"This is a school for lunatics!" Goyle exclaimed. "First a ghost, now a cat - Dumbledore probably couldn't hire enough wizard teachers. Dad was right - I should have gone to Durmstrang..."

But when everyone had taken a seat (Severus was forced to sit down next to Bulstrode), the cat morphed rapidly - and was replaced by a familiar sight - the sight of a tall woman with black hair tied back into an austere bun, peering at them from behind black-rimmed glasses. It was difficult to guess her age; judging from her face she could not be past her thirties but her rigid appearance made her seem much older.

"Welcome, first-years" echoed the voice of professor McGonagall through the classroom. "I am Minerva McGonagall, your Transfiguration teacher. As you have probably noticed by now, mr. Goyle, I am not your average stray cat. If you prefer the education of Durmstrang, by all means go - but they are not too gentle on students who fall behind, I have been told."

Goyle seemed to be one of these boys that were incapable of blushing - but from his facial expression and shrinking body language you could tell that he was no longer the spontaneous boy that had walked into the room.

"Today, I'm going to teach you the basics of a more logical kind of magic: the science of Transfiguration. Like Charms, Transfiguration has its basis in formulas, created by the founding father of Transfiguration, Eluard Gamp, but unlike Charms, they _are neccessary _to correctly perform the spell, until you've got an extraordinarily amount of magic."

Severus beamed when she said that, thinking back at the leaves that had transformed into spiders for Lily.

"That makes Transfiguration one of the most dangerous kinds of magic if practised by students who don't exactly understand what they are doing. It's also the reason why I don't tolerate _any_ sort of misbehaviour and laxity in this classroom. Consider yourselves warned."

Some of his fellow Slytherins looked kind of sick. Severus avoided looking at Bulstrode, whose pimples had started to look overripe by now.

"I am an Animagus. I'm sure most of you know what that means, if you have paid attention in professor Binns class..." McGonagall looked extra strictly at Goyle. "It may look cool to some of you to be able to transfer into an animal. However, I cannot discourage students enough from trying to become Animagi while still at Hogwarts. Apart from the fact that one can't simply choose their preferred animal form, the process of becoming an Animagus is one of the most challenging things in the history of wizardry and witchcraft. That also means it has the possibility to go horribly wrong. You could be adorned with a rather unattractive tail in the most fortunate case - or end up stuck as an ant, forever."

There went a shudder through the class and Bulstrode gasped.

"I am sure all of you have read chapter one of A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration, containing the periodic chart.." professor McGonagall mused out loud (Bulstrode looked quite shocked, and he was not alone) "but as you know, the author, Emeric Switch, is not very good at explaining things. So take notes of everything important I say. This lesson we start with the knowledge that is required for the simple task of Transforming a matchstick into a needle.  
>At first, a little Muggle biology."<p>

Most of Severus' classmates laughed mockingly at the words Muggle biology, amongst them Mulciber, Avery, Rosier, Yaxley, Selwyn, Greengrass and one of the nameless girls. McGonagall send them a very cold look from behind her glasses.

"If you think such knowledge is below you - or if you disagree with the common facts about biology, I'd advise you to leave my classroom immediately, because in that case, there wouldn't be anything left here for you to learn. There will be no signs of prejudice against Muggles in my lessons" McGonagall announced in an even sharper voice than her already very strict one. The laughing died out. She continued.

"All things are made up by the tiniest particles called molecules, who, themselves, consist out of atoms, as first discovered by the Muggle John Dalton. The matchstick that lays in front of you" McGonagall flicked her wand and Conjured a matchstick on everyone's table "is made of Aspen wood. What molecules does wood contain?"

Severus did not want to publicly answer a question. Luckily, Selwyn raised his hand.

"Yes, mr. Selwyn?" McGonagall said.

"Wood mainly consists out of cellulose, followed by hemicellulose and lignin, madam" Selwyn listed. "Cellulose is a chain of glucose molecules, Aspen hemicellulose consists of several other polysaccharides and Aspen lignin consists out of coniferyl alcohol and sinapyl alcohol."

"Correct, mr. Selwyn. Such a detailed explanation was not needed, but it was very good of you. Five points for Slytherin" McGonagall said. Severus didn't like Selwyn at all, and his relief that the arrogant twat had answered the question for him was gone.

Finally, Bulstrode talked. "What _is _a polywhatever? How are we supposed to remember this gibberish?" he asked, shaking his head.

"By looking at your wand?" Severus suggested. Bulstrode just gaped at him, looking thoroughly uninterested. He said the same thing as Avery: "I thought magic was going to be easy."

"It _is _easy! Just read the chapter!" Severus protested, but Bulstrode already poked Rowle. "Have you already read about these polysach...polysaccharide things?" he whispered.

"You bet" Rowle replied softly and mockingly, his red eyes sparkling. "I'm not gonna talk nonsense like that Gregory prat". They snickered. Severus smiled weakly. At least he wasn't the only person who disliked Selwyn.

"Bulstrode! Rowle! No talking in class!" McGonagall snapped. "Three points from Slytherin!" Everyone groaned and looked angrily at Bulstrode, Rowle and unfortunately also Severus' direction. But McGonagall wasn't done yet.

"Bulstrode, can you tell me what a steel needle consists of?" she snapped. Bulstrode looked helplessly at Severus, who tried to suppress his laughter.

"To answer the question, a steel needle is made of steel, an alloy of the element iron with a tiny percent of carbon, discovered by the druid Ghamhein in the Iron Age..." he answered for Bulstrode.

McGonagall now smiled again. "Alright, Slytherin gets the three points back for your enthousiasm, mr. Snape" she said. She flicked with her wand and threedimensional molecular structure and one simple circle appeared in the air.

"As Selwyn explained, wood mainly consists out of sugar and alcohol molecules. Matchsticks and needles have the same shape; their close similarity shapewise make them good objects for your first Transfiguration. However, if you would look at them from behind a telescope, they are completely different. This" she pointed with her wand at the molecular structure, "is what Muggles call glucose, one of the sugar molecules wood consists of. It contains six carbon atoms. And this" she pointed at the single circle, "is the carbon atom on it's own, one of the elements of steel."

The faces of Severus' classmates except for Selwyn, Greengrass and Nott had become quite dazed.

"Sugar molecules?" Crabbe asked, confused.

"Yes, mr. Crabbe, if you had actually read the first chapter of _A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration_, you would have known that sugar molecules are not only present in Sugar Quills." Professor McGonagall commented impatiently.

"The other atoms of the sugar glucose, besides carbon, are hydrogen and oxygen. The polysaccharides Selwyn mentioned are chains of sugar molecules, but there are more sugars than only glucose in wood. If you look in the first chapter, Emeric Switch has listed them. If you tap on them with your wand, they will become threedimensional. I will give you half an hour to examine and memorize all the molecules and atoms present inside your matchstick."

There was a buzz of complaining. Severus tapped with his wand on the list of molecules and they appeared threedimensionally in the air, glowing and bright, with different colors for the different elements. Although Severus had already read and viewed _A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration_, he still found the molecular structures very confusing.

"Memorize all of them in half an hour? That's impossible!" Rowle complained. Bulstrode just looked more miserable than Severus had seen him so far.  
>"This isn't magical class. This is Muggle knowledge torture" he said.<p>

Why isn't there a charm that mutes the talking of others? Severus wondered. There probably was, he just had to look it up. Although he hated most things that had to do with Muggles, he still found this discovery interesting. The other sugar molecules and the alcohol molecules in Aspen wood all contained the same elements, but were different from each other in the amount of atoms they contained and the structure. After half an hour, McGonagall clapped her hands.

"As you can see, the wood molecules vary a lot by structure, even though they are made out of mostly the same atom elements. But for our first Transfiguration, the structure of the molecules is not important, only the atoms count." she stated.

"For changing wood into steel, the most important thing we need to know are the amount of desired atoms already present in the matchstick's molecules.  
>But what is also important is the density of atoms of both materials. The density of steel is around five times greater than that of wood. How many carbon atoms does, for example, glucose have? Anyone?"<p>

"S-six?" Burke asked. McGonagall's strict way of teaching seemed to make everyone extra self-conscious.

"Indeed, two points for Slytherin" Professor McGonagall said. "Most other of the sugar molecules also contain six carbon atoms, sometimes five. The amount of carbon in the alcohol molecules is twice as much, but they are only one fifth of the total. So let's assume a standard wood molecule has seven carbon atoms. The other atoms and the balance between them you'll have to find out for yourselves. And let's assume mr. Snape's 'tiny amount' of carbon in steel is set at 0.30 percent. Then by what amount do the carbon atoms need to be reduced, how much atoms need to be Transfigured and by what amount they need to be multiplied? If you know the answer, you can try to Transfigure your matchstick - make sure to make a firm wand movement, as Emeric Switch instructs."

There was a collective sigh. "I lost track of the question" Bulstrode sighed, but Severus was already counting the atoms in his head. The mean hydrogen amount in a wood molecule was twelve and the mean oxygen amount five. Therefore the carbon amount was around thirty percent, but the density of the wood was five times less than steel so it was more like six percent, so the amount of carbon needed to be reduced by five and a seven/tenth percent and the rest of the molecules needed to be transformed into iron... but they also needed to be multiplied by a little bit more than seven.

Was that everything? Hesitatingly, Severus examined the wand movement of Emeric Switch and tried to copy it, pointing at the matchstick. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Selwyn do the same - again the bastard was ahead of him. He held his needle like it was some kind of trophy. Everyone clapped and cheered and McGonagall did something very surprising - she smiled.

But Severus' sourness was immediately gone when suddenly, his own matchstick changed from pale brown and red to silver, shiny and heavy as well. He was excstatic that he had succeeded at something in his life. And except for Selwyn, he appeared to be the only one!

Bulstrode gasped. "The halfblood succeeded too!" he cried out. This drew the attention of McGonagall, who walked from Selwyn towards Severus. Severus tried to look as nochalant as possible when all of his classmates' eyes were suddenly directed at him.

"I can't believe it! This does not happen very often, and now it happens twice - at my previous lesson, when I taught the Gryffindor first-years, there were also two boys who already succeeded in transforming a needle - and now it happens again in my Slytherin class!" Professor McGonagall said loudly, sounding very astonished, and for the first time Severus was able to distinguish her eyes from behind the glasses - they were green, like Lily's.

"It is sort of a pity, because now I also have to award Slytherin with twenty extra points. But this is worth giving up Gryffindor's advantage for. Well done as well, mr. Snape!" McGonagall said and smiled at him as well.

This time, however, nobody clapped or cheered. The space between McGonagall's eyebrows furrowed ever so slightly, but she did not say anything and walked back towards her desk.

* * *

><p>Professor Slughorn's class was simply a chaos. A mess. That were the only two words occuring to Severus when he sat behind one of the desks in the cold, large Potions classroom, located in the dungeons.<p>

Severus had thought he hated Petunia. He had even thought that he hated Wilkes (although quickly). But that had been before he had seriously considered Potter and his cronies. Nothing could have prepared him for a sharing a class with the Gryffindors. The second time James Potter tried to make Severus trip, he succeeded.

At first Severus did not understand what had happened when the moment he entered the classroom he had a harsh, unpleasant meeting with the ground. But when around him everyone burst out in laughter, he soon enough got a clue. With a very hot face that was probably bright red by now and feeling utterly humiliated, Severus got on his feet and looked around for the offenders. He didn't need to search for long.

"Good morning, Snivellus" Potter greeted. Next to him Black grinned mischievously. To Severus' great dismay, Remus Lupin was sitting next to Black - although he looked the other way.

Again, Severus did not know what to say back. Sending Potter a death glare, he hoped Lily was somehow sick. But suddenly, a very healthy girls voice next to him spat: "I hope _your_ morning will be hell, Potter!"

Lily grabbed Severus' arm and dragged him towards an empty desk next to her. She glanced at professor Slughorn, but the balding, well-rounded, walrus-resembling professor had not looked up from the cabinet he was searching through.

The cabinet contained a lot of preserving jars in which parts of plants, herbs, various parts of various animals and some undefinable things floated Severus thought looked positively disturbing. Eventually, professor Slughorn walked towards his desk, clapped his hands and said in a jovial voice: "Welcome, students! Everyone take a seat please!", wringing his hands like Flitwick.

"My name's Horace Slughorn, for the ones of you who don't already know me. Wendy Slinkhard here does, her father has went to school with me. Amiable fellow, Wilbert Slinkhard. Author of _Defensive Magical Theory_..." Slughorn paused to look at a plain Gryffindor girl who giggled nervously.

"The subject Potions is somewhat different than the other subjects you learn at Hogwarts in that it isn't your own magic who creates the working of the potions, but the magic that's inside the ingredients...as long as you prepare them correctly" Slughorn stated. "The first potion we are going to make is a potion than can cure boils. You will only need dried nettles, snake fangs, horned slugs and porcupine quills, so this isn't a too difficult potion for your first try! All the instructions are in your books! Now go and surprise me, everyone!" He sat down and crossed his puffy fingers.

Severus looked next to him. Lily's flame red hair was almost glowing in the dreary darkness, along with her pale freckled skin . "How much dried nettle do we need?" she asked, reading in her book with a slight frown between her thin eyebrows.

"Two grams, I already looked it up" he replied with a smile.

"Oh yes, I see! We need to powder it." Lily said and smiled back. "At first we need to stew the horned slugs... but at no more than seventy degrees... then there is a difficult pattern of stirring as we add the powdered nettle roots...then we add one gram of the snake fangs, also powdered... We then have to take the cauldron off the fire and wait until the concoction is cold before adding one and a half grams of porcupine quills.. This last step is very important, because under the influence of heat the porcupine quills could react with the snake fangs, and it could turn the potion into a poison that _causes_ boils instead!"

Severus stared at her admiringly. "You are very good at this" he said.

"Thanks" Lily replied absent-mindedly, already immersed into crushing her nettle roots.

After having watched her for a while, Severus started crushing his own, but paused when something small but hard flung back on his back. Shaking it off, he continued until the same thing happened again. And again.

Abruptly, Severus turned around, looking straight at the grinning face of Black, who was holding one of his snake fangs and lazily threw it. A sharp pain shot through Severus' cheek.

"You need to _use _that, you idiot!" Severus said angrily.

Black exchanged glances with Potter, who chuckled. "That's sweet! Snivellus is concerned about our snake fangs!" he yelled.

The name 'Snivellus' irritated Severus to no end. "Shut up, Lickspittle" he muttered.

Now, Black looked utterly surprised. "Wait, what were you just calling me?" he asked.

"Lickspittle" Severus repeated, "because you seem to like following Potter around. It makes more sense than calling me Snivellus when I have never cried in public"

Black burst out in laughter; he almost cried himself. Then, he casually flung his arm around Potters shoulder and said, still chuckling: "No. No no no. I am _not _following James Potter around. He is indeed great, but not _that _great. He is actually following me around-" (Potter huffed and poked Black in a disgustingly playful way) "I can't believe, however, that you don't understand why we're calling you Snivellus!"

Again, Black burst out into laughter, wiping the tears from his eyes.

"Sirius, you need to get back to your slugs, I see them almost exploding in your cauldron.." Potter interjected, but his voice cracked up and his eyes sparkled with a disturbing sort of mirth.

"What is going on?" Lily had finally turned around as well. Her expression turned sour when she noticed Black and Potter. Severus wanted to disappear.

"Black, Potter, if one of you disturbs us _one more time_, I'll call Slughorn!" Lily exclaimed.

"How could you think that we were trying to disturb you, Evans?" Potter asked in a horribly hurt voice.

"PROFESSOR SLUGHORN!" Lily screamed. Very quickly, Black and Potter pretended to be immersed into their potions again. Just in time, because Black's cauldron was smoking dangerously.

"Yes, miss Evans?" Professor Slughorn asked, but then his eyes widened when he saw Lily's potion. Out of his pocket he grabbed a struggling, hairless rat. Slughorn pointed his wand at the rat and it squeaked in pain when suddenly, red, big boils appeared everywhere on its body. Slughorn then pulled out a tiny spoon out of his other pocket and filled it with Lily's potion. He opened the rat's mouth and fed it the potion. As quickly as they appeared, all the boils disappeared again.

"Fantastic!" Slughorn wheezed. He turned around and clapped in his hands. "Now take a look, students!" he cried out. "This has seldomly happened before in any of my lessons! A perfect boil-curing potion brewed in just half an hour!" Lily beamed.

"Good work, Lils!" Marlene, who was sitting a few desks away, stuck up her thumb.

"Well done, Evans!" Potter yelled. Severus cringed.

After Lily's success, Severus was even more determined to get his own potion right. He was happy when Slughorn tested his potion on the rat and nodded approvingly as the boils disappeared.

When the class had ended, Severus walked towards the door with Lily, only to be almost knocked over by Potter, and then by Black.

"Have you ever seen what your nose looks like, Snivellus?" Pettigrew hissed, who apperently loved to stick his own in places where it wasn't wanted.

"It's twice the size as a normal person's!" Black laughed. "But Snivelly is not a normal person. His dad's an obviously deranged Muggle who married, from the sight of it, some kind of extra ugly hag..."

"My mum's a perfectly normal witch!" Severus yelled. He wanted to say 'beautiful', but even he realised that that was kind of a stretch.

"Don't pay them any attention, Sev, it's what they want" Lily said and grabbed his arm again, dragging him away from Potter, Black and their brand new worshipper.


End file.
